Prevotella melaninogenica
species of bacterium
Prevotella melaninogenica is a species of bacterium in the normal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract. It is an important human pathogen in various anaerobic infections, often mixed with other aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. P. melaninogenica is an anaerobic, Gram-negative rod, named for its black
colonies, and black pigment.
Prevotella melaninogenica is associated with hypertension together with Campylobacter rectus and Veillonella parvula.
Description
Prevotella melaninogenica are Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria. They are obligate anaerobes and cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. They are not motile, and do not form spores. P. melaninogenica grow well on blood agar, where they form circular dark-colored colonies that darken over one to two weeks.
History
Prevotella melaninogenica was originally described as Bacteroides melaninogenicus in 1921 by Wade Oliver and William Wherry at the University of Cincinnati as a new bacterium isolated from various sites of several different human patients. In 1982, Lillian Holdeman and John Johnson determined that some bacteria previously described as B. melaninogenicus were actually a distinct species, which they named Bacteroides loescheii (later renamed Prevotella loescheii).
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Prevotella melaninogenica” is species of bacterium. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Prevotella, melaninogenica and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of bacterium” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q26274602. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1921 and 1982.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Prevotella melaninogenica”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Prevotella melaninogenica primary sources, Prevotella melaninogenica archive and Prevotella research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Prevotella melaninogenica”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Prevotella melaninogenica” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.