Sphingomonas bacteria, computer illustration. This is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic, chemoheterotrophic bacterium. It is a yellow-pigmented, non-fermenting bacterium that is widely distributed in the natural environment (especially water and soil). This genus is commonly referred to as a sphingomonad. Sphingomonads are widely distributed in nature and have been isolated from many different land and water habitats, as well as from plant root systems, clinical specimens, and other sources. S. paucimobilis has been implicated in a variety of community-acquired and nosocomial infections, including bacteraemia, catheter-related sepsis, meningitis, peritonitis, cutaneous infections, visceral abscesses, urinary tract infections, adenitis and diarrheal disease. The most common species is Sphingomonas paucimobilis (formerly known as Pseudomonas paucimobilis).