BACTERIAL COLONY

Bacterial colony: refers to visible mass of bacteria

arising from 1 cell or from a group of same bacteria.

Cultural characteristics of bacteria

i. Agar plates
– Size: described whether its large, medium etc. Colonies
vary from pinpoint (less than 1mm), moderate (1mm-
5mm) to as large (5mm-10mm) in diameter.

*NOTE: colonies that are not well separated should not

be measured or taken into account as this can’t give
true measurements.
– Form: refers to the shape of the colonies from
punctiform, circular, filamentous, irregular, rhizoid,
spindle.
• Circular: unbroken
• Irregular: indented
– Elevation: flat, raised, convex, pulvinate, umbonate
• Flat: not distinguishable
• Raised: distinguishable
• Convex: dome- shape
• Umbonate/ papillate:
raised w/ elevated
convex central region
– Margin: Refers to side or the periphery: entire, undulate, lobate, erose,
filamentous.
• Entire: even
• Undulate: wavy indentations
• Lobate: marked indentations
• Erose/ Serrated:
• Filamentous

– Optical features: opaque, translucent, opalescent. Iridescent and colored

white & golden yellow: Staphylococcus
gray: Enterococcus
Buff: Diptheroids

Pigment:
green- Pseudomonas,
brick red- Serratia marcescens)

– Odor: Fruity, rancid, sour etc.

ii. Agar slant evaluation of growth is along the line of inoculation in the
following manner.
a) Abundance of growth: Designated as small, moderate or large
b) Optical features: evaluated as transparent, translucent or opaque
c) Pigmentation: similar in plates
d) Form: designated as

o Filiform: continuous threadlike growth with smooth

egdes.
o Echinulate: continuous threadlike growth with
irregular edges.
o Beaded: blob or string of pearls, or droplet colonies.
o Effuse: thin spreading growth pattern
o Arborescent: treelike growth
o Rhizoid: rootlike growth
iii. Agar butt: evaluation of growth is observed in the
inoculation area & the entire media consistency in
the following manner:
a) Amount: same with slant
b) Form: same with slant
c) Consistency: same with slant
d) Liquefaction:
o Crateriform: saucer shaped at liquid surface area
o Infundibuliform: Funnel shaped
o Saccate: Tubular shaped, elongated
o Stratiform: complete liquefaction of the upper half medium
e) Optical features: same with slant
f) Gas production: bubbles formation
iv. Broth medium: evaluation is done by
observing the consistency of the liquid
medium in the following manner:
a) Uniform fine turbidity: well dispersed growth
b) Surface:
o Flocculent: flaky aggregates
o Pellicle: thick padlike growth
c) Subsurface: turbid, granular
d) Amount: scanty, moderate, abundant
e) Sediment: growth conc. at the bottom of the
tube: granular, flocculent, viscid, flaky.