FAMILY I. NITROBACTERACEAE 



71 



suggested that the organisms described in this genus are myxobacters or that the cultures 

 were contaminated with myxobacters; however, this does not seem probable. 

 The type species is Nitrosocystis javanensis (Winogradsky) Starkey. 



1. Nitrosocystis javanensis (Wino- 

 gradsky, 1892) Starkey, 1948. {Nitrosomonas 

 javanensis Winogradsky, Arch. Sci. biol., 

 St. Petersburg, 1, 1892, 127; Starkey, in 

 Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 72.) 



jav.a.nen'sis. Java, a place name; M.L. 

 adj. javanensis of Java, Javanese. 



Small ellipsoidal cells having a diameter of 

 0.5 to 0.6 micron. Possess a polar flagellum 

 20 times as long as the rods. 



In liquid medium produces very compact 

 zoogloeal masses of cells and motile swarm- 

 ers. The large zoogloeae are themselves 

 composed of smaller compact aggregates of 

 cells. 



On silica gel the colonies are circular to 

 elliptical becoming clear or light brown. 



Aerobic. 



Strictly autotrophic. 



Source: Soil of Buitenzorg, Java; Tokyo, 

 Japan; and La Reghaia, Tunisia. 



Habitat: Presumably wddely distributed 

 in soil. 



2. Nitrosocystis coccoides Starkey, 

 1948. {Nitrosocystis a, S. Winogradsky and 

 H. Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., 50, 1933, 



401; Starkey, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 72.) 



coc.co.i'des. Gr. coccus grain, berry; Gr. 

 idus form, shape; M.L. adj. coccoides coccus- 

 shaped. 



Ellipsoidal cells about 1.5 microns in di- 

 ameter. Occur as compact aggregates of 

 cells imbedded in mucus and surrounded by 

 a thickened capsule to form cyst-like bod- 

 ies. Cells rarely solitary but more often in 

 pairs and in small groups of four or more. 

 Probably motile. The mucus which sur- 

 rounds the cells is not readily stained 

 whereas the outside coating stains more 

 easily. 



Colonies on silica gel : As colonies develop, 

 the coating of CaCOs on the gel becomes 

 yellowish and dissolves, and the colony ap- 

 pears as a bulbous, angular, brown body 

 which may become 0.5 mm in diameter. 

 The cells are held firmly together in these 

 irregularly shaped bulbous aggregates. 



Aerobic. 



Source: Poor soils of Brie and elsewhere 

 in France. 



Habitat: Presumably widely distributed 

 in forest and manured soils. 



Genus V. Nitrosogloea H. Winogradsky, 1935. 

 (Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, £00, 1935, 1887; Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 58, 1937, 335.) 

 Ni.tro.so.gloe'a. M.L. nitrosus nitrous; Gr. gloea glue, jelly; M.L. fem.n. Nitrosogloea 

 nitrous jelly. 



Cells ellipsoidal or rod-shaped. Embedded in slime to form zoogloeae. No common mem- 

 brane surrounds the cell aggregates. Oxidize ammonia to nitrite. 



It has been suggested that these organisms were contaminated with myxobacters. See 

 note under Nitrosocystis for references. 

 The type species is Nitrosogloea merismoides H. Winogradsky. 



1. Nitrosogloea merismoides H. Wino- 

 gradsky, 1935. {Nitrosocystis "I", H. Wino- 

 gradsky, Trans. Third Intern. Cong. Soil 

 Sci., Oxford, 1, 1935, 139; H. Winogradsky, 

 Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 300, 1935, 

 1887; also see Ann. Inst. Past., 58, 1937, 

 333.) 



mer.is.mo.i'des. Gr. merismus a divi- 

 sion; Gr. idus form, shape; M.L. adj. meris- 

 moides resembling a division. 



Ellipsoidal cells 0.5 by 1.5 microns. Oval 

 cells or short rods forming tetards or 

 chains, each group with its own sheath. The 

 groups vary in shape producing branched 

 chains, irregular or compact aggregates. 



Colonies on silica gel: Cells encased in a 

 pale yellow mucilage giving the colony a dull 

 appearance. Colony surface studded with 

 little humps. 



Aerobic. 



