STUDIES ON THERMOPHILIC SULFATE REDUCING BACTERIA I. Sporovibrio desulfuricans as Clostridium nigrificans

Abstract

C. nigrificans can reduce sulfate, sulfite, and thiosulfate to hydrogen sulfide. The presence of cytochrome pigments in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was confirmed and the absence of these pigments in C. nigrificans and S. desulfuricans was established. By morphological, cultural, immunological, and biochemical tests, C. nigrificans and S. desulfuricans are identical, and distinctly different from D. desulfuricans. Since the name C. nigrificans has taxonomic priority, the spore-forming, thermophilic, sulfate reducers should be properly named C. nigrificans and the name S. desulfuricans made a synonym.