FAMILY MICROCOCCACEAE 235 



FAMILY V. MICROCOCCACEAE PRIBRAM.* 

 (Jour. Bact., 18, 1929, 385.) 



Cells without endospores except in Sporosarcina. Cells in their free condition 

 spherical; during division somewhat elliptical. Division in two or three planes. If 

 the cells remain in contact after division, they are frequently flattened in the plane 

 of last division. They occur singly, in pairs, tetrads, packets or irregular masses. 

 Motility rare. Generally Gram-positive. Many species form a yellow, orange, pink 

 or red pigment. Most species are preferablj^ aerobic, producing abundant growth on 

 ordinar}^ culture media, but capable of slight anaerobic growth. A few species are 

 strictly anaerobic. ^Metabolism heterotrophic. Carbohydrates are frequently fer- 

 mented to acid. Gelatin is often liquefied. Facultative parasites and saprophytes. 

 Frequently live on the skin, in skin glands or skin gland secretions of Vertcbrata. 



Key to the genera of family Micrococcaceae. 



I. Cells occur in plates, groups or in irregular packets and masses, never in chains. 

 Pigment, when present, is yellow, orange or red. Gram-positive to Gram- 

 negative. 



Genus I. Micrococcus, p. 235. 

 II. On the animal body and in special media cells occur as tetrads. In ordinary 

 media cells may occur in pairs and irregular masses. White to pale yellow. 



Genus II. Gaffkya, p. 283. 

 III. Cells occur in regular packets. Yellow or orange pigment usually formed. 



Genus III. Sarcina, p. 285. 



Genus I. Micrococcus Cohn.* 



(Cohn, Beitrage z. Biol. d. Pflanzen, /, Heft 2, 1872, 153; Microsphaera Cohn, 

 Arch. f. path. Anat., 55, 1872, 237; not Microsphaera Leveille, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., 

 Ser. 3, 16, 1851, 381 ; Ascococcus Cohn, Beitrage z. Biol. d. Pflanzen, 1, Heft 3, 1875, 

 154; Pediococcus Balcke, Wchnschr. f. Brauerei, 1, 1884, 183; Merista Van Tieghem, 

 Traite de Botanique, Paris, 1884, 1114; Staphylococcus Rosenbach, Mikroorganismen 

 bei den Wundinfektions-krankheiten des Menschen, 1884, 27; Monococcns Miller, 

 Deutsch. med. Wchnschr., 12, 1886, No. 8, 117; Botryomyccs Bollinger, Deutsch. 

 Ztschr. f. Tiermed., 13, 1887, 77; Urococcus Miquel, Ann. Microg., /, 1888, 518; Galac- 

 tococcus Guillebeau, Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 4, 1890, 32; Rhudococcus Zopf, Ber. d. deutsch. 

 Bot. Gesellsch., Berlin, 9, 1891, 28; Pyococcus Ludwig, Lehrb. d. niederen Kryptog., 

 1892, 27; Planococcus Migula, Arb. Bakt. Inst. Karlsruhe, 1, 1894, 236; Carphococcus 

 Hohl, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 9, 1902, 338; .4Z6ococcws Winslow and Rogers, Jour. Inf. 

 Dis., 3, 1906, 541; Aurococcus Winslow and Rogers, ibid., 540; Pedioplana Wolff,. 

 Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 18, 1907,9; Melococcus Nedrigailov, Charkov Med. Zurnal, 4, 

 1907, 301; Solidococcus, Liquidococcus, Indolococcus and Peptonococcus Orla-Jensen, 

 Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 22, 1909, 332; Planomerista Vuillemin, Ann. Mycol., 

 11, 1913, 525; Tetracoccus Orla-Jensen (in part), The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 76.) 

 From Greek micrus, small; coccus, a grain; M. L., a sphere. 



Cells in plates or irregular masses (never in long chains or packets). Gram-posi- 

 tive to Gram-negative. Growth on agar usually abundant, some species form no 



* The genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus have been combined and completely 

 revised by Prof. G. J. Hucker, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New 

 York, March, 1943 so far as the aerobic species are concerned. Dr. Ivan C. Hall, 

 Presbyterian Hospital, New York City, revised the anaerobic section, January, 1944. 



