5. How to Make a Dichotomous
Key From a Table of Bacterial
Characteristics
(for use in running the minimum
number of tests in identifying an
unknown bacterium)
6. Table of Characteristics for Eight Bacteria
Organism Characteristics
Alcaligenes faecalis Gram negative bacillus, acid-fast negative, ferments galactose,
catalase positive, motile, alkaline with litmus milk, not hemolytic, H 2S
negative
Citrobacter freundii Gram negative bacillus; acid-fast negative, does not ferment galactose,
catalase positive, non-motile, acid produced in litmus milk, not
hemolytic, H2S negative
Pseudomonas Gram negative bacillus, acid-fast negative, does not ferment galactose,
fluorescens catalase positive, non-motile, alkaline in litmus milk, hemolytic, H 2S
negative
Streptococcus Gram positive oval coccus found as streptococci, acid-fast negative,
pneumoniae galactose fermentation negative, catalase negative, non-motile, acid in
litmus milk, hemolytic, H2S negative
Mycobacterium Gram positive club-shaped bacilli, acid-fast positive, galactose
smegmatis fermentation negative, catalase-negative,, non-motile, alkaline in litmus
milk, catalase positive, not hemolytic, H 2S negative
Mycobacterium leprae Gram positive club-shaped bacilli, acid-fast positive, galactose
fermentation negative, catalase-positive, non-motile, alkaline in litmus
milk not hemolytic, H2S negative
Corynebacterium Gram positive club-shaped bacilli, acid-fast negative, galactose
xerosis fermentation positive, non-motile, acid from litmus milk, catalase
positive, not hemolytic, H2S negative
Aeromonas hydrophila Gram negative bacilli, acid-fast negative, ferments galactose, catalase
positive, motile, acid from litmus milk, not hemolytic, H 2S positive