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MyxococcusRANK: GenusTAXONOMY: Proteobacteria -> delta/epsilon subdivisions -> Deltaproteobacteria -> Myxococcales -> Cystobacterineae -> Myxococcaceae -> Myxococcus OVERVIEW: Vegetative cells are slender rods with tapering ends, either cigar-shaped or slender and boat-shaped, measuring about 0.8 × 3–6 µm. When typical, the fruiting bodies are soft, slimy globular masses, knobs, or heads, constricted at the base or on a slime stalk (but see comments on the family). Of the proteolytic–bacteriolytic nutritional type. Common organisms in soil, in freshwater, and on dung of herbivores. Readily obtained when rabbit, hare, or sheep droppings are incubated in a moist chamber at 30°C.The mol % G + C of the DNA is: 68–71 (Mandel and Leadbetter, 1965), 67–68 (McCurdy and Wolf, 1967), 68–70 (Behrens et al., 1976), 65–67 (Yamanaka et al., 1987).Type species: Myxococcus fulvus |