It includes two monotypic ordersLentisphaerales andVictivallales. Phylum members can beaerobic oranaerobic and fall under two distinct phenotypes. These phenotypes live within bodies of sea water and were particularly hard to isolate in a pure culture.[4] One phenotype,L. marina, consists of terrestrial gut microbiota from mammals and birds. It was found in theSea of Japan.[4] The other phenotype (L. araneosa) includesmarine microorganisms: sequences from fish andcoral microbiomes andmarine sediment.
^Cho J, Vergin K, Morris R, Giovannoni S (2004). "Lentisphaera araneosa gen. nov., sp. nov, a transparent exopolymer producing marine bacterium, and the description of a novel bacterial phylum, Lentisphaerae".Environ Microbiol.6 (6):611–21.doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00614.x.PMID15142250.
