Protohydroia Octherma



Protohydroia Octherma are immobile thermophilic or "heat loving" bacteria. It is an octagonal shaped cell with thick cell walls. It has adapted these cell walls to protect it from the heat of the deep sea vents and hot springs it flourishes in. They are orange in color because of the sulfur they absorb as well as the other volcanic materials. It gets its energy from these as well as the geothermic heat given off from the vents and hotsprings. Thanks to this adaptation it needs no sun light. While around the vents they form a honeycomb-like structure and have been known to build up so much they make cones around the vents.