| 1. | Motility | Non-Motile | Generally Motile |
| 2. | Capsule | Capsulated | Non-Capsulated |
| 3. | Shape | Grow in long chains | Grow in short chains |
| 4. | Medusa Head Colony | Present | Not Present |
| 5. | Growth in Penicillin Agar (10 units/ml) | No Growth | Grow Usually |
| 6. | Hemolysis | Hemolysis absent or weak. | Usually well marked |
| 7. | Gelatin Liquefaction | Slow Gelatin Liquefaction | Rapid Gelatin Liquefaction |
| 8. | Turbidity | No Turbidity in broth | Turbidity usually |
| 9. | Salicin Fermentation | Negative | Usually Positive |
| 10. | Growth at 45°C | No Growth | Grows usually |
| 11. | Chloral Hydrate | Growth inhibited by Chloral Hydrate | Not Inhibited |
| 12. | Gamma Phage | Susceptible to gamma phage | Not susceptible |
| 13. | Pathogenesis | Pathogenic to laboratory animals | Not pathogenic |
Anthrax bacilli donot form long chains .they are present short chains of 2or 3 bacilli.or even may exist as mono bacilli