After the bacterium was discovered in 1906, the term Streptococcus equinus became a convenient "wastebasket" into which nonhemolytic streptococci that do not ferment lactose and mannitol were categorized [REF].
However, as shown to the left, it is known that S. equinus, a non enterococcal, group D streptococcus, is most closely related to the species S. bovis [REF].