An.aer.o.vib'rio. Gr. pref. an not; Gr. n. aer air; anaero not (living) in air; L. v. vibrio to move rapidly to and fro, vibrate; N.L. masc. n. vibrio that which vibrates; N.L. masc. n. Anaerovibrio vibrio not living in air.

Firmicutes / “Clostridia” / Clostridiales / Veillonellaceae / Anaerovibrio

Slightly curved rods usually 0.5 µm × 1.2–3.6 µm. Capsules not formed. Nonspore-forming. No resting stage known. Gram-stain-negative. Motile with a single polar flagellum. Obligately anaerobic. Chemo-organotrophic; no scavenging system for oxygen is present. Growth occurs at 38°C, but not at 20°C, 30°C, or 50°C. Optimum pH for growth, 6.3; no growth occurs below pH 5.9 or above 7.0. Lipolytic. A limited range of sugars can be utilized as a carbon source. Glycerol is fermented mainly to propionate. Fermentation products from growth on DL-lactate, ribose, and fructose are acetate, propionate, CO₂, and traces of H₂ and succinate. Peptides, triacylglycerol, and phospholipids also support growth. An organic nitrogen source and vitamins (folic acid, pantothenate and pyridoxal-HCl) are required.

DNA G+C content (mol%): 44.0 ± 0.3 (HPLC).

Type species: Anaerovibrio lipolyticus corrig. Hungate 1966, 80^AL.