Taxonomy of the genus Cupriavidus: a tale of lost and found

DNA-DNA hybridization experiments and an evaluation of phenotypic characteristics, DNA base ratios and 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that Wautersia eutropha (Davies 1969) Vaneechoutte et al. 2004, the type species of the genus Wautersia, is a later synonym of Cupriavidus necator Makkar and Casida 1987, the type species of the genus Cupriavidus. In conformity with Rules 15, 17, 23a and 37a(1) of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, the genus name Cupriavidus has priority over the genus name Wautersia, and all other members of the genus Wautersia are reclassified into Cupriavidus as Cupriavidus basilensis comb. nov. (type strain LMG 18990(T)=DSM 11853(T)), Cupriavidus campinensis comb. nov. (type strain LMG 19282(T)=CCUG 44526(T)), Cupriavidus gilardii comb. nov. (type strain LMG 5886(T)=CCUG 38401(T)), Cupriavidus metallidurans comb. nov. (type strain LMG 1195(T)=DSM 2839(T)), Cupriavidus oxalaticus comb. nov. (type strain LMG 2235(T)=CCUG 2086(T)=DSM 1105(T)), Cupriavidus pauculus comb. nov. (type strain LMG 3244(T)=CCUG 12507(T)), Cupriavidus respiraculi comb. nov. (type strain LMG 21510(T)=CCUG 46809(T)) and Cupriavidus taiwanensis comb. nov. (type strain LMG 19424(T)=CCUG 44338(T)).