Systematic Position of the Genus Oscillospira

Abstract

THE bacterial nature of the genus Oscillospira has been the subject of some dispute; Delaporte¹ considered the group to be Myxophyceae adapted to a parasitic mode of life, which had lost some algal characteristics, and Pringsheim² considered it truly bacterial. It has recently been shown to possess typical eubacterial nuclear structures³. Pringsheim² reported that Robinow had demonstrated flagella, but these structures have not previously been illustrated. It has also proved difficult to demonstrate the existence of true cross-walls between the component cells. These characters constitute one of the most important cytological distinctions between bacteria and Myxophyceae⁴.