ABSTRACT
The genus Catabacter consists of a recently described, gram-positive, anaerobic, bacterial species Catabacter hongkongensis. Being only distantly related to other anaerobic gram-positive bacilli, which traditionally included species of the genera Actinomyces, Biƒdobacterium, Clostridium, Eggerthella, Eubacterium, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacterium, C. hongkongensis forms a distinct lineage peripherally associated with clusters I, III, and XIVb of the clostridia on phylogenetic tree upon 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis (Figure 32.1). Based on its phylogenetic position and distinct phenotypic characteristics, C. hongkongensis is classiŠed as the sole species under the genus Catabacter, family Catabacteriaceae, order Clostridiales, class Clostridia, phylum Firmicutes.1
