Acidaminococcaceae

The Acidaminococcaceae are an unusual family of bacteria. They are grouped together mainly based on genetic studies, which place them among the Firmicutes. Supporting this placement, several species are capable of forming endospores. However, they differ from most other Firmicutes in having Gram-negative stains. The cell wall composition is peculiar.

Members of this family are all obligate anaerobes, and occur in habitats such as rivers, lakes, and the intestines of vertebrates. They range from spherical forms, such as Megasphaera and Veillonella, to curved rods, as typified by the Selenomonads. Selenomonas has a characteristic crescent-shape, with flagella inserted on the concave side, while Sporomusa is similar but non-motile. Their names refer to this distinctive morphology: selene means moon, and musa means banana.

The name Selenobacteria also refers to this group.

Acidaminococcaceae