Thioploca sp. from Okinawa, Japan

Description:

Thioploca is a filamentous sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, with the unusual characteristic of building sheaths around bundles of its filaments. They can travel up and down the sheaths by gliding motility. Thioploca can be found in sediments and also in microbial mats. These specimens are from Okinawa, Japan. Thanks to the OIST Marine Science Support Section for hosting our visit in Nov 2017! [taxonomy:genus=Thioploca]