Cetobacterium ceti gen. nov., sp. nov., a new gram-negative obligate anaerobe from sea mammals.

Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on a Gram-negative obligately anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium isolated from two sea mammals. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated the bacterium represents a hitherto unknown line of descent peripherally associated to the fusobacteria and low G+C relatives. Based on the result of the phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic criteria, it is proposed that the bacterium should be assigned to a new genus, Cetobacterium ceti gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Cetobacterium ceti sp. nov. is NCFB 3026.