The taxonomic position of Enterobacter dissolvens was re-evaluated based on the analysis of the type strain ATCC 23373T and three clinical isolates. The strains were assigned to the genetic cluster of the species by phylogenetic sequence analysis in the frame of a recent population genetic study. The relatedness of E. dissolves to the other species of the E. cloacae complex was analyzed by DNA-DNA hybridization studies based on melting profiles in microplates. The genetic cluster of E. dissolvens fell into the same DNA-relatedness group like E. cloacae with mean deltaTm-values of 3.9 degrees C confirming the hybridization results of three former studies. Phenotypic analysis of the E. cloacae and E. dissolvens strains, respectively, based on 115 biochemical reactions yielded the esculin test as the only one differentiating between them by being positive for E. dissolvens and negative for E. cloacae strains. The name E. cloacae subsp. dissolvens comb. nov. is proposed for the group of organisms formerly referred to as E. dissolvens, and the name E. cloacae subsp. cloacae comb. nov. for the group of organisms formerly referred to as E. cloacae. The species descriptions of Enterobacter kobei and Enterobacter asburiae were emended based on the data collected on 17 and 15 strains, respectively. The strains were assigned to the respective species by a combination of phylogenetic sequence analyzes and DNA-DNA hybridizations. Phenotypic analyzes of 115 reactions gave detailed species profiles with new differentiating phenotypic properties.