6 Questions
Which bacterium is characterized by a 'Star-shaped' colony morphology?
Yersinia pestis
Which bacterium forms 'Poached egg' colonies?
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Which bacterium has 'Bread crumb' colonies with a pointed/tapered end?
Fusobacterium nucleatum
Which bacterium is associated with 'Dew drop' colonies and Satellitism?
Haemophilus influenzae
Which bacterium demonstrates a 'Umbrella-shaped' colony pattern?
Listeria monocytogenes
Which bacterium exhibits 'Cauliflower-like' colonies?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Study Notes
Bacterial Colony Morphology
- Actinomyces israelii: Characterized by a branching or beading appearance
- Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans: Forms star-shaped colonies
- Bacillus anthracis: Colonies have a box-car or medusa head appearance
- Bordetella spp.: Colonies resemble mercury droplets
- Chromobacterium violaceum: Produces dark, smooth purple colonies on blood agar
- Corynebacterium diphtheriae: Colonies have a poached egg appearance, with club-shaped cells and a palisade arrangement, resembling a "picket fence" or "Chinese letters"
- Eikenella corrodens: Causes pitting of agar
- Enterobacter spp.: Colonies appear pink with a dark center on EMB agar, forming a "fish eye" pattern
- Fusobacterium nucleatum: Colonies have a bread crumb appearance with pointed or tapered ends
- Haemophilus ducreyi: Colonies have a "school of fish" appearance
- Haemophilus influenzae: Colonies appear as dew drops with satellitism
- Listeria monocytogenes: Colonies exhibit an "umbrella-shaped" pattern
- Moraxella catarrhalis: Colonies resemble hockey pucks
- Mycoplasma spp.: Colonies have a fried egg appearance
- Mycobacterium bovis: Colonies appear as water droplets
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Colonies have a cauliflower-like appearance
- Mycobacterium xenopi: Colonies resemble a bird's nest
- Mycobacterium ulcerans/leprae: Colonies exhibit a cigar pocket arrangement
- Streptobacillus moniliformis: Colonies have a puff or fluff ball appearance
- Streptococcus pneumoniae: Colonies are dome-shaped
- Yersinia enterocolitica: Colonies have a bull's eye appearance
- Yersinia pestis: Colonies have a safety pin appearance and exhibit stalactite growth on broth
Test your knowledge on identifying bacterial species based on their unique colony morphology characteristics. From branching appearance to star-shaped colonies, challenge yourself to match the bacteria with their distinctive features.
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