FAMILY MICROCOCCACEAE 285 



Genus III. Sarcina Goodsir.* 



(Goodsir, Edinborough Med. and Surg. Jour., 1842, 430; Lactosarcina Beijerinck, 

 Arch, neerl. d. sci. exact., Ser. 2, 13, 1908, 359; Urosarcina Miquel, Ann. Microg., 1, 

 1888, 517; Planosarcina Migula, Arb. Bakt. Inst. Karlsruhe, 1, 1894, 236; Pseudosar- 

 cina Lohnis, Handb. d. landwirtsch. Bakt., 1910, 449 (Pseudo-sarcina, Maze, Compt. 

 rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, 137, 1903, 887); Sporosarcina Orla-Jensen, Cent. f. Bakt., II 

 Abt., 22, 1909, 340; Paulosarcina Enderlein, Sitzber. Ge.sell. Xaturf., Berlin. 1917, 

 319 ; Phacelium Enderlein, ibid.,Sl9 ; Zymosarchia Smit, Die Garungssarcinen. Pflan- 

 zenforschung. Heft 14, 1930, 26; Butyrisarcina Kluyver and Van Niel, Cent, f . Bakt., 

 II Abt., 94, 1936, 400; Methanosarcina Kluyver and Van Niel, ■ibid.) From Latin 

 sarcina, packet, bundle. 



Division occurs, under favorable conditions, in three planes, producing regular 

 packets. Usually Gram-positive. Growth on agar abundant, usually with formation 

 of yellow or orange pigment. Glucose broth slightly acid, lactose broth generally 

 neutral. Gelatin frequently liquefied. Nitrites may or may not be produced from 

 nitrates. Saprophytes and facultative parasites. 



The type species is Sarcina ventriculi Goodsir. 



Key to the species of genus Sarcina. 



I. Microaerophilic to anaerobic. 



A. No growth without sugars. Do not produce methane. Sub-genus Zymo- 



sarcina Smit (Die Garungssarcinen. Pflanzenforschung, Heft 14, 1930, 26). 



1. Cellulose reaction positive. Slow coagulation in litmus milk. 



1. Sarcina ventriculi. 



2. Cellulose reaction negative. Litmus milk not coagulated. 



2. Sarcina maxima. 



B. Does not utilize sugars. Produces methane. Sub-genus Methanosarcina 



Kluyver and van Niel (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 94, 1936, 400). 



3. Sarcina methanica. 

 II. Aerobic. 



A. No endospores present. Sub-genus Sarcinococcus subgen. nov. 



1. Not halophilic. 



a. Non-motile. 



b. Yellow pigment produced. Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 

 c. Milk alkaline; coagulated. 



4. Sarcina lutea. 

 cc. Milk alkaline; not coagulated. 



5. Sarcina jlava. 



bb. Orange pigment produced. Nitrites produced from nitrates. 



6. Sarcina aurantiaca. 

 aa. Motile. 



7. Sarcina citrea. 



2. Halophilic red chromogen. 



8. Sarcina littoralis. 



B. Endospores present. Motile. Sub-genus Sporosarcina Orla-Jensen (Cent. f. 



Bakt., II Abt., 22, 1909, 340). 



9. Sarcina ureae. 



* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, 

 New York, March, 1943. 



