Bergey’s Manual
Bacterial Identification Key
Dichotomous Key v1.2
Step 1: Primary Tests
Enter the results for your unknown organism. These first five tests will narrow down the possibilities.
Step 2: Secondary Tests
Now, let’s refine the results. Please enter the data for the remaining tests. Select “N/A” if you did not perform the test.
Step 3: Identification Result
Match Found!
Your organism has been identified.
Complete Biochemical Profile:
No Match Found
No organism in the database matches all of your selected criteria.
This could be due to a contaminated plate, a misread “Variable” test, or the organism is not in this database. Please double-check your tests.
Contradiction Detected!
Your secondary tests point to ****.
However, this organism’s known profile **conflicts** with the primary tests (Gram, Catalase, etc.) you entered on Step 1. This indicates a high probability of a misread test.