 Its antifungal properties are of particular interest, since "J. lividum" is found on the skin of certain amphibians, including the red-backed salamander ("Plethodon cinereus"), where it prevents infection by the devastating chytrid fungus ("Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis").The genus name, "Janthinobacterium", comes from Latin "janthinus", which means "violet" or "violet-blue" + "bacterium", which means rod or staff.The species name is also from Latin, "lividum", which means "of a blue or leaden color".