Bacteroides intermedius comb. nov. and Descriptions of Bacteroides corporis sp. nov. and Bacteroides levii sp. nov.

Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid homology studies of 66 strains formerly classified as Bacteroides melaninogenicus subsp. intermedius showed two distinct groups with negligible intergroup homology. The larger group, with homology to the type strain of B. melaninogenicus subsp. intermedius, is designated Bacteroides intermedius, and the description of the taxon is emended. The other deoxyribonucleic acid homology group, which includes strains that differ from B. intermedius in not fermenting sucrose or producing indole, is designated Bacteroides corporis sp. nov.; ATCC 33547T (= VPI 9342) is the type strain. Strains of B. intermedius and B. corporis do not ferment lactose, as strains of B. melaninogenicus, Bacteroides loescheii, and Bacteroides denticola do. Strain ATCC 29147T is designated the type strain of Bacteroides levii sp. nov. This organism is a pigmenting bacteroides whose strains have been isolated from cattle and include the LEV strain (previously called B. melaninogenicus or “B. melaninogenicus subsp. levii”). Phenotypic characteristics useful in differentiating among nine species that formerly have been included in or identified as B. melaninogenicus are listed.