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Two anaerobic bacterial consortia, each harboring a distinct Sulfurospirillum population, were derived from a 10 year old consortium, SL2, previously characterized for the stepwise dechlorination of tetrachloroethene (PCE) to cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) via accumulation of trichloroethene (TCE). Population SL2-1 dechlorinated PCE to TCE exclusively, while SL2-2 produced cis-DCE from PCE without substantial TCE accumulation. The reasons explaining the long-term coexistence of the populations were investigated. Genome sequencing revealed a novel Sulfurospirillum species, designated ‘Candidatus Sulfurospirillum diekertiae’, whose genome differed significantly from other Sulfurospirillum spp. (78%–83% ANI). Genome-wise, SL2-1 and SL2-2 populations are almost identical, but differences in their tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase sequences explain the distinct dechlorination patterns. An …