Dehydrogenoida

Dehydrogenoida is a term that has appeared in a small number of taxonomic discussions and educational contexts as a possible name for a clade of microorganisms defined by their dehydrogenase-dominated metabolism. It is not a formally recognized taxon in major databases such as NCBI Taxonomy, the International Code of Nomenclature, or the Catalogue of Life, and no species have been assigned to it in peer-reviewed classifications.

Etymology: The name combines dehydrogen- (referring to dehydrogenase enzymes or dehydrogenation processes) with the typical suffix -oida, used in some taxonomic group names.

Taxonomic status and usage: The term is largely informal and inconsistent. In some sources it is used as a placeholder in hypothetical phylogenies or as an educational shorthand to discuss metabolic strategies involving dehydrogenase enzymes. In others it is treated as a misnomer or confusion with established groups and is not adopted in formal taxonomy.

Description: Because there is no formal definition, descriptions vary. Reported concepts emphasize metabolic traits rather than clear morphological or genetic criteria. No diagnostic characters are standardized across sources.

History and references: The earliest appearances are sparse and not widely cited; the term has not undergone formal review or consensus.

See also: Dehydrogenase, Metabolism, Microbial metabolism, Taxonomic nomenclature.