Comments concerning the taxonomy of the genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus

Abstract

Micrococcus luteus (Schroeter) Conn is a recognizable sp. and ATCC culture 398 appears to be satisfactory type culture. The ability to utilize ammoniacal N as a sole source of N is not a test applicable to this group of organisms because it cannot be studied independently of the energy metabolism and nutritional requirements for growth. The genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus can be separated logically on the basis of their relation to O2 in a standardized complex medium containing glucose. The former are obligate aerobes; the latter, facultative. S. pyogenes is an extremely homogeneous sp. and the type culture suggested by Cowan, Shaw, and Williams (1954) appears quite satisfactory.