Aquifex

Aquifex is a genus in the family Aquificaceae and belongs to the bacteria. So far, two are known: A. aeolicus and A. pyrophilus. Both are thermophilic and live in water temperatures between 85 ° and 95 ° C.

The types are rod-shaped with a length of 2 to 6 microns. They do not form spores and are gram- negative with autotrophic life. Aquifex can join together to form colonies of up to 100 individual cells.

Aquifex is often found near underwater volcanoes and thermal springs. A. aeolicus requires oxygen to live, but it's enough a concentration of 7.5 ppm. A. pyrophilus can live anaerobically if nitrogen is present, which is then reduced in place of oxygen.

A. aeolicus was discovered on the island of Vulcano, north of Sicily, while A. pyrophilus was first found on Kolbeinseyrücken north of Iceland.

System

• Aquiflex aeolicus
• Aquiflex pyrophilus Huber & Stetter 1992