Emendation of genus Achromobacter and Achromobacter xylosoxidans (Yabuuchi and Yano) and proposal of Achromobacter ruhlandii (Packer and Vishniac) comb. nov., Achromobacter piechaudii (Kiredjian et al.) comb. nov., and Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans (Rüger and Tan) comb. nov.

Based on the results of GC content determination and 16S rRNA sequence analysis among the type strains of Achromobacter xylosoxidans, 4 Alcaligenes species, 5 Bordetella species, and 12 species of 4 other genera, the separation of genus Achromobacter Yabuuchi and Yano 1981, with the type species Achromobacter xylosoxidans, is confirmed. Alcaligenes ruhlandii (Packer and Vishniac) Aragno and Schlegel 1992 is a distinct species and not a senior synonym of Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Alcaligenes ruhlandii and Alcaligenes piechaudii Kiredjian et al 1986 are transferred to genus Achromobacter. Thus 2 new combinations, Achromobacter ruhlandii (Packer and Vishniac) and Achromobacter piechaudii (Kiredjian et al) are proposed; their type strains are ATCC 15749 and ATCC 43552, respectively. Alcaligenes denitrificans Rüger and Tan 1983 is also transferred to genus Achromobacter and ranked down to the subspecies of Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Thus a new subspecies name, Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans (Rüger and Tan) is proposed. The type strain of the subspecies is ATCC 15173. This proposal automatically creates type subspecies, Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. xylosoxidans, with type strain ATCC 27061. An emended description of genus Achromobacter and of type species Achromobacter xylosoxidans are given.