INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL O F
SYSTEMATIC
BACTERIOLOGY
J a n u a r y 1967
pp. 43-51
Vol. 17, No. 1
Copyright 1966 by the Iowa State University P r e s s
PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA OR
PSEUDOMONAS PYOCYANEA?
Request f o r a n Opinion
Rudolph Hugh and E r w i n F. L e s s e l
The George Washington University School of Medicine
Department of Microbiology, Washington, D. C. and
The A m e r i c a n Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Md.
ABSTRACT.
Recently the Judicial Commission
of t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o m m i t t e e o n N o m e n c l a t u r e of B a c t e r i a ( I C N B ) w a s a s k e d t o i s s u e
a n Opinion conserving the name Pseudomonas
pyocyanea (Gessard) Migula and rejecting the
name
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
(Schroeter)
Migula.
In the present paper evidence is adduced that indicates Pseudomonas aeruginosa
i s n o t o n l y t h e c o r r e c t s c i e n t i f i c n a m e b u t a1so that which is in common usage internationa l l y f o r t h e t y p e s p e c i e s of t h e g e n u s P s e u d o m o n a s M i g u l a . I n t h e i n t e r e s t s of s t a b l e n o menclature and popular usage, the authors
r e q u e s t t h a t a n O p i n i o n b e i s s u e d by t h e J u d i cial Commission, 1) placing the specific epithet aeruginosa, in the combination Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Schroeter) Migula, in the
l i s t of E p i t h e t a s p e c i f i c a c o n s e r v a n d a , a n d
2 ) placing the specific epithet pyocyanea, in
the combination Pseudomonas pyocyanea Migu l a , i n t h e l i s t of E p i t h e t a s p e c i f i c a r e j i cienda.
---------INTRODUCTION
The Judicial Commission (1952,121) of the International
Committee on Nomenclature of B a c t e r i a (ICNB) i s s u e d a n
Opinion (no. 5) which conserved the g e n e r i c n a m e Pseudom o n a s Migula 1894; the Opinion s t a t e s that t h i s n a m e is a s sociated with the s p e c i e s designated and d e s c r i b e d by Migula
i n 1895 and that Pseudomonas a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r ) Migula
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1900 ( b a s i o n y m : B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m S c h r o e t e r 1872;
synonym: P s e u d o m o n a s pyocyanea ( G e s s a r d ) ( s i c ] Migula
1895) is t h e type s p e c i e s of t h e genus.
Although t h i s a c t i o n
c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d t h e biological entity r e f e r r e d t o a s
P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a as the type s p e c i e s of the genus
P s e u d o m o n a s , it cannot be c o n s t r u e d as having officially
fixed t h e n a m e of t h i s s p e c i e s , i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e s p e c i f i c
epithet.
Recently Ve'ron (1965, 187) r e q u e s t e d a n Opinion f r o m t h e
J u d i c i a l C o m m i s s i o n which, i f i s s u e d , would c o n s e r v e t h e
n a m e P s e u d o m o n a s pyocyanea ( G e s s a r d 1882) Migula 1895
and would p l a c e t h e n a m e P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r 1872) Migula 1900 i n the l i s t of Nomina r e j i c i e n d a .
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e r u l e s of n o m e n c l a t u r e , t h e r e c a n b e o n l y
one c o r r e c t n a m e f o r a given taxon i n a given position: t h e
e a r l i e s t n a m e which i s i n a c c o r d a n c e with t h e r u l e s . In t h o s e
c a s e s w h e r e i t c a n be shown convincingly t h a t t h e c o r r e c t
n a m e of a taxon i s a r e a l s o u r c e of confusion o r d o e s not
enjoy c o m m o n u s a g e , the r u l e s have been m a d e flexible
enough t o yield t o t h e p r e s s u r e of c o m m o n s e n s e and p e r m i t ,
by c o n s e r v a t i o n , the u s e of a l a t e r synonym.
T h e intent of t h i s p a p e r is t o show 1 ) t h a t P s e u d o m o n a s
a e r u g i n o s a , a s a validly published a n d l e g i t i m a t e n a m e with
unquestioned p r i o r i t y , i s the c o r r e c t n a m e of the type s p e c i e s of P s e u d o m o n a s , a n d 2) t h a t s i n c e _P. a e r u p i n o s a , not
P. pyocyanea, i s m o s t commonly u s e d by m i c r o b i o l o g i s t s
the world o v e r , including those m e d i c a l l y o r i e n t e d , t h e r e i s
no need t o m a k e a n exception t o t h e e s t a b l i s h e d r u l e s t o
achieve s t a b i l i t y i n the n o m e n c l a t u r e of t h i s o r g a n i s m . Howe v e r , i n a s m u c h as P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a h a s s e r i o u s l y
been challenged, t h e a u t h o r s d e e m i t a d v i s a b l e t o r e c o m mend t h e c o n s e r v a t i o n of the s p e c i f i c epithet a e r u g i n o s a i n
the combination P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a .
DISCUSSION
F o r d o s (1860,215) studied the c o l o r e d m a t e r i a l i n blue
pus. He c r y s t a l l i z e d a small amount of t h e coloring subs t a n c e , which he n a m e d "pyocyanine," and r e p o r t e d i t t o be
soluble i n w a t e r , alcohol, e t h e r and c h l o r o f o r m , and t o be
r e d i n a c i d solution, blue i n a l k a l i n e solution.
Twelve y e a r s l a t e r S c h r o e t e r (1872,109) published a p a p e r
r e l a t i n g t o s e v e r a l pigments produced by b a c t e r i a . Under
t h e c a t e g o r y "Griin" S c h r o e t e r (ibid., p. 1 2 2 ) r e p o r t e d on two
o b s e r v a t i o n s of g r e e n pigment: one involved p i e c e s of cooked
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45
potato, the o t h e r c o n c e r n e d s o - c a l l e d " g r e e n pus." Although
S c h r o e t e r w a s not a b l e to find b a c t e r i a i n connection with
t h e d a r k g r e e n pigment p r o d u c e d on and i n potatoes, he w a s
inclined t o i m p l i c a t e bacte,ria i n t h e production of the pigm e n t b e c a u s e of t h e l a c k of any o t h e r p o s s i b l e s o u r c e . On
t h e o t h e r hand, S c h r o e t e r s t a t e d t h a t g r e e n pus w a s a conditionwhich r e p r e s e n t e d a well-known production of pigment
by b a c t e r i a .
On t h e b a s i s of the investigations of o t h e r s ,
which he did not document, S c h r o e t e r s t a t e d t h a t the pigm e n t was produced by m o t i l e b a c t e r i a .
On m a n y o c c a s i o n s
S c h r o e t e r had s e e n g r e e n p u s , but ' n e i t h e r i n the quantity n o r
u n d e r t h e conditions which enabled h i m t o m a k e m i c r o s c o p i c
o r chemical examinations.
In a l l c a s e s the c o l o r w a s v e r d i g r i s , tending s o m e w h a t t o blue. It w a s a l s o a p p a r e n t t o
S c h r o e t e r t h a t the pigment w a s e l i m i n a t e d f r o m the b a c t e r i a
i n t o the s u r r o u n d i n g fluid.
Scientific n a m e s w e r e given by S c h r o e t e r ( i b i d . , p. 126)
t o t h e b a c t e r i a which produced t h e pigments he d i s c u s s e d :
t h e m o t i l e f o r m s he d e s i g n a t e d ( i b i d . , pp. 109 and 126) as
b a c t e r i a ( B a c t e r i u m ) and t h e nonmotile f o r m s as b a c t e r i d i a
( B a c t e r i d i u m ) . S c h r o e t e r a t t r i b u t e d t h e production of t h e
pigment i n g r e e n pus t o a s p e c i f i c , d i s t i n c t b a c t e r i u m , f o r
which he p r o p o s e d t h e n a m e B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m . ( T h e
L a t i n a d j e c t i v e a e r u g i n o s u s , -5, -um m e a n s "full of c o p p e r
r u s t " o r " v e r d i g r i s , " hence "green.")
It should be noted
t h a t S c h r o e t e r did not r e l a t e the n a m e B a c t e r i u m a e r u p i n o s u m , o r the n a m e of any b a c t e r i u m , t o t h e d a r k g r e e n pigm e n t which he o b s e r v e d on cooked potato s l i c e s b e c a u s e h e
did not know t h e s o u r c e of t h i s pigment, although he believed
t h a t b a c t e r i a w e r e involved.
Without q u e s t i o n S c h r o e t e r
applied the n a m e B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m t o t h e b a c t e r i u m
which p r o d u c e s the pigment, pyocyanine, i n g r e e n pus. Alm o s t without exception, b a c t e r i o l o g i s t s , when r e f e r r i n g t o
t h e blue-pus o r g a n i s m by s c i e n t i f i c n a m e , u s e B a c t e r i u m
a e r u g i n o s u m Sch r oete r o r Ps eudomonas a e r uginos a (Sch r o e t e r ) Migula e i t h e r a s t h e n a m e of t h e o r g a n i s m o r a s a synon y m of a n o t h e r s c i e n t i f i c n a m e , u s u a l l y B a c i l l u s pyocyaneus
o r P s e u d o m o n a s pyocyanea; i n any e v e n t , i t is obvious t h a t
S c h r o e t e r applied t h e n a m e B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m t o the
b a c t e r i u m which p r o d u c e s t h e pigment i n blue pus.
According t o t h e r u l e s of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Code of Nomenc l a t u r e of B a c t e r i a and V i r u s e s ( 1958) p e r t a i n i n g t o the pubR u l e s 10 t o 14 i n c l u s i v e ) , B a c t e r i u m
l i c a t i o n of n a m e s (-.
a e r u g i n o s u m S c h r o e t e r 1872, 126 w a s validly published ( s e e
Buchanan e t ~ l 1966,298).
.
Although S c h r o e t e r did not cul-
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t i v a t e t h e o r g a n i s m he n a m e d , he did d e s c r i b e i t : a m o t i l e
b a c t e r i u m which p r o d u c e s the pigment of g r e e n pus.
There
a r e s o m e who would a r g u e that S c h r o e t e r ' s d e s c r i p t i o n , being b r i e f , i s inadequate, and t h a t t h e n a m e B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m is t h e r e f o r e i l l e g i t i m a t e a s a nomen dubium (Rule
24f). However the production of pyocyanine is a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c which, on t h e b a s i s of all m i c r o b i o l o g i c a l e x p e r i e n c e t o
d a t e , i s unique t o t h e o r g a n i s m b e s t known as P s e u d o m o n a s
a e r u g i n o s a ; hence the application of the n a m e B a c t e r i u m
a e r u g i n o s u m S c h r o e t e r i s not doubtful, and the n a m e is not
a nomen dubium.
T h e a r g u m e n t h a s a l s o been advanced (Ve'ron 1965,188)
t h a t s i n c e S c h r o e t e r did not cultivate t h e blue-pus o r g a n i s m ,
B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m S c h r o e t e r does not c o n f o r m t o t h e
r u l e s of--nomenclature.
However the r u l e s r e l a t i n g t o t h e
valid publication and l e g i t i m a c y of n a m e s do not r e q u i r e t h a t
t h e o r g a n i s m n a m e d be cultivated; i n f a c t , the p r a c t i c e of
naming b a c t e r i a b e f o r e they have been cultivated i n v i t r o o r
i s o l a t e d i n p u r e c u l t u r e i s not without p r e c e d e n t , t o wit, t h e
v a l i d l y p u b l i s h e d n a m e s ( s e e Buchanan ct &. 1966: 729,1177,
1158 and 551, r e s p e c t i v e l y ) M y c o b a c t e r i u m l e p r a e , V i b r i o
c h o l e r a e , T r e p o n e m a c a r a t e u m , and E p e r y t h r o z o o n coccoid e s , t o m e n t i o n but a few. T h e only p r i n c i p l e involved h e r e
i s w h e t h e r the c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of a n o r g a n i s m is b a s e d on
the p r o p e r t i e s of m o r e than one o r g a n i s m . T h e p e r t i n e n t
r u l e ( 1 4 a , Moscow 1966 r e v i s i o n ) of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Code
of N o m e n c l a t u r e of B a c t e r i a r e a d s as follows:
-
T h e n a m e of a s p e c i e s is validly published only when i t s
publication c o n f o r m s t o t h e following r e q u i r e m e n t s :
( 1 ) It m u s t be published a s a b i n a r y combination cons i s t i n g of a g e n e r i c n a m e followed by a s i n g l e s p e c i f i c
epithet
( 2 ) It m u s t be a c c o m p a n i e d by a d e s c r i p t i o n of the
s p e c i e s o r by citation of a p r e v i o u s l y and effectively
published d e s c r i p t i o n .
( 3 ) The d e s c r i p t i o n m u s t not be b a s e d on the prope r t i e s of m o r e than one s p e c i e s i n m i x e d o r i m p u r e
cultures.
T h i s s t a t e m e n t d o e s not apply t o t h e n a m e
of a s p e c i e s whose d e s c r i p t i o n is based on morphology
o r o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s and not upon growth in c u l t u r e s .
.
The basionym B a c t e r i u m a e r u g i n o s u m S c h r o e t e r w a s a c o r r e c t l y f o r m e d b i n a r y combination. T h e r e is no evidence t h a t
S c h r o e t e r ' s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of the s p e c i e s w a s b a s e d on t h e
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p r o p e r t i e s of m o r e than one organism. T h e only known o r g a n i s m that i s motile and produces pyocyanine is Pseudom o n a s a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r ) Migula (basionym B a c t e r i u m
a e r u g i n o s u m ( S c h r o e t e r ) Migula).
Cohn (1872) acknowledged that S c h r o e t e r had given a s c i entific n a m e t o the green-pus o r g a n i s m , citing (ibid., p. 157)
B a c t e r i d i u m a e r u g i n e u m S c h r o e t e r [ s i c ] and (ibid., p. 173)
B a c t e r i u m aeruginosum. Although Cohn (loc. cit.) noted t h a t
t h i s o r g a n i s m is a t t i m e s nonmotile and at other t i m e s (in
pus) m o t i l e , h e gave no indication that he intended t o t r a n s f e r B a c t e r i u m a e ruginosum t o the genus Bacte r i d i u m Davaine
because of the o c c u r r e n c e of nonmotile cells. B a c t e r i d i u m
a e r u g i n e u m , probably a l a p s u s c a l a m i , m u s t be attributed t o
Cohn, and, i n a s m u c h a s he apparently did not intend t o i n t r o duce i t a s a new n a m e , it m u s t be r e g a r d e d as not validly
published (Rule 12c(3)).
G e s s a r d (1882a, 5 3 6 ) , using the serial-dilution technique
of P a s t e u r , obtained a c u l t u r e which showed the production
of pyocyanine. The d e s c r i p t i o n of the o r g a n i s m p r e s e n t e d
by G e s s a r d (loc. cit.) added v e r y little, and nothing significant, t o that given e a r l i e r by S c h r o e t e r , and, i f it w e r e not
f o r the uniqueness of pyocyanine production, his d e s c r i p t i o n
would be m o s t inadequate, as would S c h r o e t e r ' s . The o c c u r r e n c e of nonmotile f o r m s of this o r g a n i s m , as o b s e r v e d by
Cohn, did not p r e s e n t a p r o b l e m t o G e s s a r d because, as h e
l a t e r pointed out (1882b, 44), it w a s known that one and the
s a m e s p e c i e s could be motile o r nonmotile, depending upon
the m e d i u m u s e d t o cultivate it.
In G e s s a r d ' s publications (1882a, 1882b) the only scientific
n a m e s he used t o r e f e r t o t h e g r e e n - p u s o r g a n i s m a r e "Bact e r i d i u m a e r u g i n o s u m , S c h r o e t e r " and " b a c t e r i u m [ s i c ]
a e r u g i n o s u m de S c h r o e t e r " (1882b, 44 and 64, respectively).
It is concluded that G e s s a r d recognized the validity and p r i o r i t y of the scientific n a m e s u s e d by S c h r o e t e r .
It i s m o s t unfortunate that G e s s a r d ' s fine work should be
involved i n e r r o r s m a d e by subsequent authors. In n e i t h e r
of G e s s a r d ' s publications did he propose a scientific n a m e
f o r the blue-pus organism. N e v e r t h e l e s s the n a m e M i c r o coccus pyocyaneus h a s been c r e d i t e d t o G e s s a r d (1882b) by
Zopf (1884,83) and Vgron (1965,189), and Bacillus pyocyaneus h a s been attributed t o G e s s a r d (1882a and 1882b) by
t h e following, among o t h e r s : Fliigge (1886, 286), Migula
(1895,29; 1900,884), Matzuschita(1902,132), H a u d u r o y e t &.
(1953,422), t h e J u d i c i a l C o m m i s s i o n ( l 9 5 2 , 121-122), Haynes
(1957,99), and Pre'vot (1961,43).
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T h e c l o s e s t G e s s a r d c a m e t o u s i n g a new s c i e n t i fi c n a m e
i s i n t h e following q u e r y ( i b i d . , p. 45): "Si la d i s t i n c t i o n d e
d e u x e s p e c e s e n d e v a i t r e s u l t e r , n e c o n v i e n d r a i t - i l p a s de
c a r a c t e r i s e r du t e r m e pyocyaneus l e m i c r o c o c c u s q u i p r o d u i t la p y o c y a n i n e ?
Some h a v e i n t e r p r e t e d t h i s q u e s t i o n
t o m e a n t h a t G e s s a r d p r o p o s e d t h e n a m e M i c r o c o c c u s pvoc y a n e u s ; h o w e v e r G e s s a r d did n o t p r o p o s e s u c h a b i n a r y
c o m b i n a t i o n ( s e e Rule 1 4 a ( l ) ) . E v e n i f i t w e r e conceded t h a t
M i c r o c o c c u s pyocyaneus is a binary combination proposed
by G e s s a r d , t h e n a m e would h a v e t o be r e g a r d e d a s n o t
validly published because i t was m e r e l y proposed i n anticip a t i o n of t h e f u t u r e a c c e p t a n c e of t h e t a x o n c o n c e r n e d ( R u l e
1 2 c (2 ) ) .
Authors who subsequently u s e d the n a m e s M i c r o c o c c u s
pyocyaneus and Bacillus pyocyaneus did not validate the
p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e s e n a m e s b e c a u s e t h e y u s e d t h e n a m e s
incidentally, a t t r i b u t i n g t h e m t o G e s s a r d , a n d did not indic a t e t h a t t h e y w e r e proposing t h e n a m e s as new ( s e e Rule
lZc(3)). A p p a r e n t l y t h e o n l y s c i e n t i f i c n a m e f o r t h e b l u e pus o r g a n i s m that w a s validly published u s i n g t h e s p e c i fi c
e p i t h e t p y o c y a n e u s is P s e u d o m o n a s p y o c y a n e a M i g u l a ( 1 8 9 5 ,
29). L a t e r M i g u l a ( 1 9 0 0 , 884), h a v i n g d i s c o v e r e d t h e e a r l i e r
synonym Bacterium aeruginosum S c h r o e t e r , and recognizing
t h e p r i o r i t y of t h e s p e c i f i c e p i t h e t a e r u g i n o s u s ( a l t h o u g h
r u l e s s p e c i f i c a l l y a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e n o m e n c l a t u r e of b a c t e r i a
w e r e not f o r m u l a t e d u n t i l 1947, t h e e a r l y m i c r o b i o l o g i s t s
w h o s t u d i e d b a c t e r i a t h e o r e t i c a l l y f o l l o w e d t h e e x i s t i n g bot a n i c a l r u l e s of n o m e n c l a t u r e ) , p r o p o s e d P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r ) M i g u l a t o r e p l a c e 2. p y o c y a n e a . P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r ) Migula w a s validly published
a n d i s l e g i t i m a t e ( B u c h a n a n c t &. 1966, 854).
P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a is known by m a n y v e r n a c u l a r
n a m e s which, when t r a n s l a t e d i n t o English, m e a n "blue-pus
o r g a n i s m , " " g r e e n - p u s o r g a n i s m , " " b a c i l l u s of b l u e p u s , "
" b a c i l l u s of g r e e n p u s , " " b a c i l l u s of b l u e - g r e e n pus," "pyocyanine bacillus," and the like. V e r n a c u l a r n a m e s a r e not
g o v e r n e d by i n t e r n a t i o n a l r u l e s of n o m e n c l a t u r e , a n d h a v e
n o i n f l u e n c e on t h e c o r r e c t n e s s , u s a g e o r a c c e p t a n c e of
scientific names.
In o r d e r t o d e t e r m i n e w h i c h of t h e two s p e c i f i c e p i t h e t s ,
a e r u g i n o s u s ' o r pyocyaneus', a c t u a l l y enjoys t h e g r e a t e r
u s a g e by t h e w o r l d ' s m i c r o b i o l o g i s t s i n t h e s c i e n t i f i c n a m e
of t h e b l u e - p u s o r g a n i s m , a l a r g e s e g m e n t of t h e p e r t i n e n t
".
O r t h e f e m i n i n e o r n e u t e r f o r m of t h e a d j e c t i v e .
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scientific l i t e r a t u r e w a s examined, with p a r t i c u l a r e m p h a s i s
on the m e d i c a l l i t e r a t u r e . Included w e r e t e x t s (the bacteriol o g i c a l holdings of the National L i b r a r y of Medicine, Bethe s d a , Maryland, U. S. A. , w e r e s y s t e m a t i c a l l y s c r u t i n i z e d ) ,
as w e l l as p e r i o d i c a l s and culture-collection catalogues. T h e
r e s u l t s a r e s u m m a r i z e d as follows (specific r e f e r e n c e s will
be supplied upon r e q u e s t t o the a u t h o r s : s p a c e limitations
precluded the inclusion of the r e f e r e n c e s i n this paper):
U s e of a e r u g i n o s u s l by a u t h o r s of various nationalities i n
TEXTBOOKS AND MONOGRAPHS: A m e r i c a n (30), Argentinian ( 2 ) , B r a z i l i a n ( 3 ) , Bulgarian ( 2 ) , Cuban ( 1 ) , Czechoslovakian (4), Danish ( l ) , Dutch ( I ) , Egyptian ( l ) , E n g l i s h
(5), F i n n i s h ( l ) , F r e n c h ( l o ) , G e r m a n ( l o ) , Hungarian ( l ) ,
Indian ( I ) , Italian ( 3 ) , J a p a n e s e (5), Mexican ( 2 ) J Norwegian
( l ) , P o l i s h ( l ) , Romanian ( l ) , Scottish ( 2 ) , Spanish ( 3 ) , and
Yugoslavian ( 3 ) , t o t a l 94; i n PUBLISHED P A P E R S ( s i n c e
1960): A m e r i c a n (55), Argentinian ( l ) , A u s t r a l i a n ( 3 ) , Belgian (2), Canadian (9), Dutch ( 6 ) , English (7), F r e n c h (5),
G e r m a n ( l o ) , Hungarian ( 2 ) , I s r a e l i ( I ) , Italian ( 3 ) , .J a p a n e s e
(2), G r e e k ( l ) , New Zealander ( 3 ) , Swiss ( 2 ) , T u r k i s h ( l ) ,
and Uruguayan ( l ) , t o t a l 114; and i n CULTURE-COLLECTION
CATALOGUES: Arne r i c a n , Argentinian, Australian, Canadian, Czechoslovakian, English, J a p a n e s e , New Z e a l a n d e r ,
and Scottish.
Use of pyocyaneusl by a u t h o r s of various nationalities i n
TEXTBOOKS AND MONOGRAPHS: A m e r i c a n ( 2 ) , A u s t r i a n
( I ) , Danish ( l ) , E n g l i s h (9), F r e n c h ( l ) , G e r m a n (5), Indian
( l ) , Italian ( l ) , J a p a n e s e (2), P o l i s h ( l ) , R u s s i a n ( 3 ) , Scott i s h ( I ) , and T u r k i s h ( I ) , t o t a l 29; i n PUBLISHED P A P E R S
( s i n c e 1960): English (2), F r e n c h ( l ) , Hungarian ( l ) , and
Italian ( l ) , t o t a l 5; and i n CULTURE-COLLECTION CATALOGUES: Russian.
CONCLUSIONS : Ps eudomona s a e ruginos a (Sch roet e r )
Migula i s the c o r r e c t scientific name f o r the type s p e c i e s of
the genus P s e u d o m o n a s Migula. Some a u t h o r s e r r o n e o u s l y
maintain that G e s s a r d proposed scientific n a m e s (with ~ o
cyaneus as the specific e p i t h e t ) f o r this s p e c i e s ; G e s s a r d did
not propose a new scientific n a m e , but, i n fact, recognized
and u s e d the scientific n a m e proposed e a r l i e r by S c h r o e t e r .
I r r e s p e c t i v e of the v e r n a c u l a r n a m e s applied t o t h i s s p e c i e s ,
aeruRinosus, not pyocyaneus, is the specific epithet which
h a s been and continues t o be u s e d by a l a r g e m a j o r i t y of
m i c r o b i o l o g i s t s of d i v e r s e nationalities. F u r t h e r m o r e , cont r a r y t o the s t a t e m e n t by Wilson and Miles (1964,636), who
a c c e p t the p r i o r i t y of ,P. a e r u g i n o s a , but who maintain that
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50
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL
t h i s n a m e i s l e s s f a m i l i a r t o m e d i c a l b a c t e r i o l o g i s t s t h a n _P.
pyocyanea, t h e evidence s u g g e s t s that on a world-wide b a s i s
m e d i c a l b a c t e r i o l o g i s t s p r e f e r the u s e of 2. a e r u g i n o s a t o
P. pyocyanea.
Inasmuch as the name Pseudomonas aeruginosa h a s r e cently been challenged i n f a v o r of P s e u d o m o n a s pyocyanea,
i t i s h e r e b y r e q u e s t e d , i n the i n t e r e s t s of s t a b l e n o m e n c l a t u r e and popular u s a g e , t h a t t h e J u d i c i a l C o m m i s s i o n i s s u e
a n '0pini on :
1 ) placing the s p e c i f i c e p i t h e t a e r u g i n o s a , i n t h e b i n a r y
combination P s e u d o m o n a s a e r u g i n o s a ( S c h r o e t e r 1872)
Migula 1900, i n the l i s t of E p i t h e t a s p e c i f i c a c o n s e r vanda, and
2 ) placing the s p e c i f i c e p i t h e t pyocyanea, i n the b i n a r y
combination P s e u d o m o n a s pyocyanea Migula 1895, i n
the l i s t of E p i t h e t a s p e c i f i c a r e j i c i e n d a .
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