1010 COMPREHENSIVE KEY 



Note: The descriptions given for species in this genus are like early descriptions 

 given for Arthrobacler and in some instances could fit Nocardia. 

 Not as above 18 



18. Organisms disintegrate filter paper in 0.5 per cent peptone water; produce clearing on 



precipitated cellulose agar plates ; motile (except C. flavigena) 



Cellulomonas p. 601 

 Not as above possibly Corynebacterium p. 579 



19. Motile at 37° or at 25°C 20 



Non-motile 27 



20. Organisms pathogenic to warm-blooded animals causing monocytosis; catalase-posi- 



tive; acid produced from glucose, salicin and aesculin Listeria -p. 597 



Not as above 21 



21. Pathogenic to plants 22 



Not pathogenic to plants 24 



22. Yellow colonies; polar flagella possibly Corynebacterium -p. 579 



(C. flaccumfaciens or C. tritici) 



Or. . . . Xanthonionas p. 152 



{X. proteamaculans or X. conjac) 



Yellow colonies; peritrichous flagella Erwinia p. 349 



{E. citrimaculans) 

 Colonies not yellow 23 



23. Flagella polar Corynebacterium p. 579 



(C. poinsettiae or C. hypertropMcans) 



Or ... . Pseudomonas p . 89 



(P. polygoni) 



Flagella peritrichous Erwinia p. 34.9 



{E. carnegieana) 

 Note: Erwinia species are generally regarded as Gram-negative. Gram-variable 

 species are recorded. 



24. Organisms disintegrate filter paper in 0.5 per cent peptone water; produce clearing on 



precipitated cellulose agar plates Cellulomonas p. 601 



Not as above 25 



25. No acid from carbohydrates 26 



Acid from carbohydrates Brevibacterium p. 490 



(Including Flavobacterium suaveolens and F. marinum) 



26. Organisms occur in long chains; colonies colorless and spreading. . . . Kurthia p. 503 

 Organisms arranged singly; colonies yellow Brevibacterium p. 490 



(B. suljureum) 



27. Acid-fast Mycobacterium p. 695 



Not acid-fast 28 



28. Organisms 0.2 to 0.4 by 0.5 to 2.5 microns; long filaments common in rough colonies; 



occur singly and also in chains; pinpoint transparent colonies on agar in 24 hours at 

 37 °C., extending on further incubation to 1.5 mm; acid only produced from glucose 

 and lactose and some other carbohydrates but not from aesculin; final pH in glucose 

 broth, about 6.0; hydrogen sulfide is produced; causes swine erysipelas, human 

 erysipeloid, mouse septicemia and infections in sheep, birds and fish 



Erysipelothrix p. 599 

 Not as above 29 



29. Rods 0.4 to 0.7 by 1 to 3 microns; show granular staining with methylene blue; arranged 



in angular fashion similar to the corynebacteria; only 2 species recorded, both of 

 which produce acid from glucose, fructose and mannose; catalase-positive; resist 

 heating to 72°C. for 15 minutes; normally found in dairy products and equipment 



Microbacterium p. 600 

 Not as above 30 



