Kirrobacter (Kir.ro.bac'ter. Gr. adj. kirros, orange-tawny; Gr. adj. bacter, rod; N.L. n. Kirrobacter, orange-tawny colored rod)
Gram-negative, non-spore forming pleomorphic bacteria. Strictly aerobic and chemoheterotrophic. Contains carotenoids, but not bacteriochlorophyll a. The major respiratory quinone is ubiquinone 10, the dominant phospholipds are phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, and phophatidylthanolamine. The genus is located in a sub-clade within the Erythrobacteraceae family. The type species is Kirrobacter mercurialis.