Name: Actinomyces

Rank: Genus

Lineage:
Bacteria;Actinobacteria;Actinobacteria;Actinomycetales;Actinomycetaceae;Actinomyces

Description:
Actinomyces is a genus of the Actinobacteria class of bacteria. They are all gram-positive. Actinomyces species are facultatively anaerobic (except A. meyeri and A. israelii both obligate anaerobe), and they grow best under anaerobic conditions. Actinomyces species may form endospores, and, while individual bacteria are rod-shaped, Actinomyces colonies form fungus-like branched networks of hyphae. The aspect of these colonies initially led to the incorrect assumption that the organism was a fungus and to the name Actinomyces, "ray fungus" (from Greek actis, ray, beam and mykes, fungus).

Reference Material:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinomyces