cultural characteristic
differences in the macroscopic appearance of a microorganism's growth; are used as a basis for separating microbes into taxonomic groups; contained in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology
abundance of growth
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar slants; the amount of growth is designated as non, slight, moderate, or large
pigmentation
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar slants; the coloration of organisms as seen in surface colonies
optical characteristic
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar slants; evaluated on the basis of the amount of light transmitted through growth; described as opaque, translucent, or transparent
form
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar slants; the appearance of the single-line streak of growth on the agar surface is designated as:
filiform, echinulate, beaded, effuse, arborescent, rhizoid
filiform
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; continuous, threadlike growth with smooth edges
echinulate
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; continuous, threadlike growth with irregular edges
beaded
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; nonconfluent to semiconfluent colonies
effuse
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; thin, spreading growth
arborescent
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; thin, treelike growth
rhizoid
a type of "form" to describe nutrient agar slants; rootlike growth
consistency
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar slants; can be described as dry, buttery , or mucoid
dry
a type of "consistency" in nutrient agar slants; free from moisture
buttery
a type of "consistency" in nutrient agar slants; moist and shiny
mucoid
a type of "consistency" in nutrient agar slants; slimy and glistening
size
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar plates; pinpoint, small, moderate, or large
pigmentation
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar plates; color of colony
form
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar plates; the shape of the colony as described as follows: circular, irregular, or rhizoid
circular
a type of "form" in nutrient agar plates; unbroken, peripheral edge
irregular
a type of "form" in nutrient agar plates; indented peripheral edge
rhizoid
a type of "form" in nutrient agar plates; rootlike, spreading growth
margin
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar plates; the appearance of the outer edge of the colony; described as: entire, lobate, undulate, serrate, filamentous
entire
a type of "margin" in nutrient agar plates; sharply defined, even
lobate
a type of "margin" in nutrient agar plates; marked indentations
undulate
a type of "margin" in nutrient agar plates; wavy indentations
serrate
a type of "margin" in nutrient agar plates; toothlike appearance
filamentous
a type of "margin" in nutrient agar plates; threadlike, spreading edge
elevation
a cultural characteristic in nutrient agar plates; the degree to which colony growth is raised on the agar surface is described as follows: flat, raised, convex, umbonate
flat
a type of "elevation" in nutrient agar plates; elevation not discernible
raised
a type of "elevation" in nutrient agar plates; slightly elevated
convex
a type of "elevation" in nutrient agar plates; dome-shaped elevation
umbonate
a type of "elevation" in nutrient agar plates; raised, with elevated convex central region
uniform fine turbidity
a cultural characteristic of nutrient broth cultures (distribution of growth); finely dispersed growth throughout
flocculent
a cultural characteristic of nutrient broth cultures (distribution of growth); flaky aggregates dispersed throughout
pellicle
a cultural characteristic of nutrient broth cultures (distribution of growth); thick, padlike growth on surface
sediment
a cultural characteristic of nutrient broth cultures (distribution of growth); concentration of growth at the bottom of broth culture may be granular, flaky, or flocculent
crateriform
a cultural characteristic of nutrient gelatin (liquefaction); liquefied surface area is saucer-shaped
napiform
a cultural characteristic of nutrient gelatin (liquefaction); bulbous-shaped liquefaction at surface
infudibuliform
a cultural characteristic of nutrient gelatin (liquefaction); funnel-shaped
saccate
a cultural characteristic of nutrient gelatin (liquefaction); elongated, tubular
stratiform
a cultural characteristic of nutrient gelatin (liquefaction); complete liquefaction of the upper half of the medium