Methanococcus maripaludis

Methanococcus maripaludis
Electron micrograph showing prominent archaeal features and interior body of the microorganism. Courtesy of Dr. Ken F. Jarrell and Shin-Ichi Aizawa. Mag bar of 500nm.
Scientific classification
Domain: Archaea
Kingdom: Methanobacteriati
Phylum: Methanobacteriota
Class: Methanococci
Order: Methanococcales
Family: Methanococcaceae
Genus: Methanococcus
Species:
M. maripaludis
Binomial name
Methanococcus maripaludis
Jones et al. 1984

Methanococcus maripaludis is a species of methanogenic archaea found in marine environments, predominantly salt marshes. M. maripaludis is a non-pathogenic, gram-negative, weakly motile, non-spore-forming, and strictly anaerobic mesophile. It is classified as a chemolithoautotroph. This archaeon has a pleomorphic coccoid-rod shape of 1.2 by 1.6 μm, in average size, and has many unique metabolic processes that aid in survival. M. maripaludis also has a sequenced genome consisting of around 1.7 Mbp with over 1,700 identified protein-coding genes. In ideal conditions, M. maripaludis grows quickly and can double every two hours.