Box 1. Some newly discovered bacterial species.

 

Species

Comment

Deinococcus radiodurans 

Occurs in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Dehalococcoides ethenogenes

half-micron-long bacterium that breaks down toxic industrial chemicals e.g  trichlorethylene

Nanoarchaeum equitans

Smallest bacterium discovered in Regensburg, Germany

Polaromonas naphthalenivorans

Of value in decontamination of coal

Serpulina pilosicoli

Also known as "little serpent of the hairy colon", causes severe diarrhea in pigs

Thiomargarita namibiensis

Largest prokaryote discovered off the coast of Namibia

Wolbachia pipientis

Bacterial symbiont associated with parthenogenesis and a change in host selection behavior in wasps

 

Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network