Actinoplanes italicus, a New Red-Pigmented Species

A new species of Actinoplanes is described for which the name A. italicus is proposed. The organism is characterized by the cherry-red color of its vegetative mycelium and by the production of soluble pigments. It differs significantly, therefore, from the species of Actinoplanes so far named and described, which generally produce a yellow or orange vegetative mycelium and which ordinarily do not produce soluble pigments. The type strain of A. italicus is A 5221 (=ATCC 27366).