''Melissococcus'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
Gram-positive
In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall.
Gram-positive bacte ...
,
catalase-negative,
coccus
A coccus (plural cocci) is any bacterium or archaeon that has a spherical, ovoid, or generally round shape. Bacteria are categorized based on their shapes into three classes: cocci (spherical-shaped), bacillus (rod-shaped) and spiral ( of whi ...
-shaped
lactic acid bacteria
Lactobacillales are an order of gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally nonsporulating, nonrespiring, either rod-shaped ( bacilli) or spherical ( cocci) bacteria that share common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bact ...
within the family
Enterococcaceae
The Enterococcaceae are a family of Gram-positive bacteria placed in the order Lactobacillales.
Representative genera include ''Enterococcus'', '' Melissococcus'', '' Pilibacter'', '' Tetragenococcus'', and ''Vagococcus''. In this family are so ...
. ''Melissococcus'' species were classified as ''
Streptococcus
''Streptococcus'' is a genus of gram-positive ' (plural ) or spherical bacteria that belongs to the family Streptococcaceae, within the order Lactobacillales (lactic acid bacteria), in the phylum Bacillota. Cell division in streptococci occurs ...
'' until 1983 when ''Melissococcus'' was recognized as a distinct genus. Notable species include ''
M. plutonius'', which is a cause of
European foulbrood (an infectious disease that primarily affects honeybees).
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q19652404
Enterococcaceae