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THE ACTINOMYCETES, Vol. II 



Figure 61. Thermomonospora lineata (Repro- 

 duced from: Henssen, A. Arch. Mikrobiol, 26: 

 401, 1957). 



bent or spiral-shaped. Gram-positive, non- 

 acid-fast, thermophilic, facultatively aerobic 



This genus comprises two species: T. 

 bispora with chains made up of double 

 spores, and T. polyspora with more Than 

 two spores. 



Usually only the side branches of the 

 substrate mycelium grow into aerial hyphae. 

 The chains of spores are produced from the 

 unbranched sporophores around the aerial 

 hyphae. 



Type species: Thermopolyspora bispora 

 Henssen. 



1. Thermopolyspora bispora Henssen, 1057 

 (Henssen, A. Arch. Mikrobiol. 26: 373-414, 

 L957). 



Morphology: Aerial hyphae 20 to 30 m 

 long, with 20 to 40 spore chains. Spores are 

 double, round, 0.0 to 1.3 p.. 



Cultural characters: Colonies mostly col- 

 orless. Aerial mycelium chalk-white. Organ- 

 ism thermophilic, facultatively aerobic. 



The following properties are discussed on 

 the Uisis of anaerobic growth at G0°C. 



Sucrose nitrate agar: Sparse growth. 



( ilycerol-asparagine agar: Growth slight 

 or abundant. Xo aerial mycelium. 



Nutrient agar: Good growth. Aerial my- 

 celium thick. 



Starch agar: Xo hydrolysis. 



( relatin: Unchanged. 



Potato: Individual colonies without aerial 

 mycelium. 



Nitrate reduction: Negative. 



Milk: Xot changed after 7 days. 



Habitat: Fresh cow and swine manure or 

 composted sheep manure. 



Type culture: IMRU 3750. 



2. Thermopolyspora polyspora Henssen, 

 1957 (Henssen, A. Arch. Mikrobiol. 26: 373- 

 414, 1057). 



Morphology: Aerial hyphae 45 to 50 /j. 

 long, 1.0 to 1.3 fi thick. Sporophores straight 

 to spiral-forming, individual or in groups. 

 Spores round, 3 to 10 by 1.1 to 1.8 /x. 



Physiological properties of spore-free cul- 

 tures, at 00°C under aerobic conditions: 

 Colonies yellow, aerial mycelium dirty 

 white. 



(Ilycerol-asparagine agar: Growth orange- 

 yellow. 



Cellulose-dextrin agar: Growth colorless. 



Nutrient agar: Growth yellow. 



Potato: Growth yellow. 



Remarks: These cultures resemble, 

 through their colored compact colonies, the 

 spore-free cultures of Micromonospora. Spiral 

 formal ion has resulted in the confusion of 

 T. polyspora with species of Streptomyces. 



Genus Thermoactinomyces 



The genus Thermoactinomyces is similar in 

 some respects to the genus Micromonospora; 



