It is an aerobic enteric bacterium first isolated from the hindgut of cockroaches.
[2] It is notable for its ability to synthesize vitamin B12 de novo.
[4] It was reclassified in the genus Shimwellia based on phylogenetic analyses of its genome sequence.
[5] The genome of S. blattae is about 4.2 megabases in size, slightly smaller than similar enteric bacteria found in humans.
Genomic analysis suggests that the ability of S. blattae to synthesize vitamin B12 has its origins in horizontal gene transfer.