Numerical Taxonomy of Some Named Coryneform Bacteria

SUMMARY Numerical analysis of data for seventy coryneform bacteria bearing the following generic names, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Jensenia, Listeria, Erysipelothrix, Kurthia, Brevibacterium, Arthrobacter, Cellulomonas, Microbacterium and Corynebacterium, was done by using 70 coded features and both single and complete linkage clustering programs. Three major phenons were detected, probably corresponding taxonomically to the present family level in the taxonomic hierarchy. The first included Listeria, Kurthia, Erysipelothrix, certain Microbacterium strains and Corynebacterium species of animal origin. The second included rapid-growing Mycobacterium species, Nocardia and Jensenia. The third was a more illdefined group of Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium, Cellulomonas, Microbacterium and certain other species. We suggest that all three phenons belong in the order Eubacteriales under the possible family names of Corynebacteriaceae, Mycobacteriaceae and Arthrobacteriaceae respectively.