A total of 219 strains belonging to the genera Buttiauxella and Kluyvera were studied; 171 of these strains were isolated from mollusks, mainly snails and slugs, obtained from around the world. On the basis of DNA-DNA hybridization data, the strains were grouped into 11 genomospecies. A total of 44 phenotypic characters were used to differentiate the genera Buttiauxella and Kluyvera at the genus level and to identify genomospecies. There were significantly higher phenotypic probability distances between the genomospecies in the genus Battiauxella and the genomospecies in the genus Kluyvera than between the genomospecies in the same genus. Therefore, the existence of Buttiauxella and Kluyvera as different genera was confirmed. The existence of new species necessitated broadening the definitions of both genera. In two cases, Buttiauxella species could not be quantitatively differentiated biochemically, and several other pairs of species could be separated only by the results of one biochemical test. Nonetheless, combinations of several characteristics were used in differentiate all of the species with levels of certainly ranging from log 10.79 to log 57.77 (calculated as probability distances). The following new species are proposed: Buttiauxella ferragutiae (type strain, ATCC 51602 [DSM 9390]), Buttiauxella gaviniae (type strain, ATCC 51604 [DSM 9393]), Buttiauxella brennerae (type strain, ATCC 51605 [DSM 9396]), Buttiauxella izardii (type strain, ATCC 51606 [DSM 9397]), Buttiauxella noackiae (type strain, ATCC 51607 [DSM 9401]), Buttiauxella warmboldiae (type strain, ATCC 51608 [DSM 9404]), Kluyvera cochleae (type strain, ATCC 51609 [DSM 9406]), and Kluyvera georgiana (type strain, ATCC 51603 [DSM 9409]).

In order to assess the relationship between the genus Kluyvera and other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, the 16S rRNA genes of type strains of the recognized Kluyvera species, Kluyvera georgiana, Kluyvera cochleae, Kluyvera ascorbata and Kluyvera cryocrescens, were sequenced. A comparative phylogenetic analysis based on these 16S rRNA gene sequences and those available for strains belonging to several genera of the family Enterobacteriaceae showed that members of the genus Kluyvera form a cluster that contains all the known Kluyvera species. However, the type strain of Enterobacter intermedius (ATCC 33110T) was included within this cluster in a very close relationship with the type strain of K. cochleae (ATCC 51609T). In addition to the phylogenetic evidence, biochemical and DNA-DNA hybridization analyses of species within this cluster indicated that the type strain of E. intermedius is in fact a member of the genus Kluyvera and, within it, of the species Kluyvera cochleae. Therefore, following the current rules for bacterial nomenclature and classification, the transfer of E. intermedius to the genus Kluyvera as Kluyvera intermedia comb. nov. is proposed (type strain, ATCC 33110T=CIP 79.27T=LMG 2785T=CCUG 14183T). Biochemical analysis of four E. intermedius strains and one K. cochleae strain independent of the respective type strains further indicated that E. intermedius and K. cochleae represent the same species and are therefore heterotypic synonyms. Nomenclatural priority goes to the oldest legitimate epithet. Consequently, Kluyvera cochleae Muller et al. 1996 is a later synonym of Kluyvera intermedia (Izard et al. 1980) Pavan et al. 2005.

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