SUMMARY: A numerical Adansonian analysis has been performed on the results of a wide range of biochemical and physiological characters of organisms at present classified in the genera Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Arthrobacter and Jensenia. The results show that some of the organisms need to be reclassified. Corynebacterium ulcerans could be considered as another type of C. diphtheriae, and C. pyogenes and C. haemolyticum have little similarity to any of the other corynebacteria. Corynebacterium equi and Jensenia canicruria appear to be closely related to the mycobacteria examined. The plant pathogens C. rathayi, C. betae and C. michiganense seem to be distinct from most of the animal parasites in this genus. The mycobacteria, nocardia and most of the corynebacteria from animal sources form one large group at the 51% similarity level. Acid-fastness does not seem to be a good criterion for separating the genus Corynebacterium from the genus Mycobacterium, some of the corynebacteria showed varying degrees of acid-fastness.
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