Bengtsoniella intestinalis (in.tes.ti.na’lis. N.L. fem. adj. intestinalis, of the intestines). Cells are rods ~3 µm long and 1 µm wide growing mainly as single cells. The optimum NaCl concentration required for growth is 1% (w/v). Negative for catalase, aesculin, indole production, nitrate reduction, urease reaction and gelatin hydrolysis. There is a positive reaction for arginine dihydrolase and glutamic acid decarboxylase but not for α˗galactosidase, 6-phospho-β-galactosidase, β˗galactosidase, arginine arylamidase, histidine arylamidase, α˗glucosidase, β˗glucosidase, α˗arabinosidase, β˗glucuronidase, N˗acetyl˗β˗glucosaminidase, α˗fucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, proline, leucyl glycine, phenylalanine, leucine, pyroglutamic acid, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, glutamyl glutamic acid or serine. The cells grew well on Medium 27. Growth occurs in the temperature range of 20–28 °C (optimum 28 °C), at a pH range of 7.1–8.5 (optimum 8.5). The major fermentation products produced during growth in Medium 27 were formate and butyrate. Cells grow only under reducing conditions in the absence of oxygen. The major cellular fatty acids present (at >10% of the total) were C12:0, C13:0, iso-C14:0, C16:0 and C16:1cis 7.

Strains were isolated from the fermentative hindgut contents of the herbivorous marine fish K. sydneyanus

The type strain is strain BP47GT (=ICMP 24688=JCM 35770) isolated at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Bengtsoniella [Beng.tso.ni.el’la. N.L. fem. dim. n. Bengtsoniella, named for the American microbiologist Ida A. Bengtson, the first woman scientist employed by the National Institutes of Health (USA), for her pioneering work with anaerobic organisms and for paving the way for the hiring of many influential women scientists at the National Institutes of Health]. Cells of the only described species are Gram-negative. The cells are rods (3 µm long and 1 µm wide) sometimes with one or two pointed ends. Colonies on Medium 27 agar appear colourless and shiny with a diameter of about 1 mm after a week of growing anaerobically at 20 °C. No endospores or flagella were seen. The type species is Bengtsoniella intestinalis.