Aquificota

Aquifex is a bacterial genus, belonging to phylum Aquificota. There is one species of Aquifex with a validly published name – A. pyrophilus – but "A. aeolicus" is sometimes considered as species though it has no standing as a name given it has not been validly or effectively published. Aquifex spp. are extreme thermophiles, growing best at temperature of 85 °C to 95 °C. They are members of the Bacteria as opposed to the other inhabitants of extreme environments, the Archaea.

The Aquificaceae family are bacteria that live in harsh environmental settings such as hot springs, sulfur pools, and hydrothermal vents. Although they are true bacteria as opposed to the other inhabitants of extreme environments, the Archaea, Aquificaceae genera are an early phylogenetic branch.

The Aquificota phylum is a diverse collection of bacteria that live in harsh environmental settings. The name Aquificota was given to this phylum based on an early genus identified within this group, Aquifex (“water maker”), which is able to produce water by oxidizing hydrogen. They have been found in springs, pools, and oceans. They are autotrophs, and are the primary carbon fixers in their environments. These bacteria are Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rods. They are true bacteria (domain Bacteria) as opposed to the other inhabitants of extreme environments, the Archaea.

The Hydrogenothermaceae family are bacteria that live in harsh environmental settings. They have been found in hot springs, sulfur pools, and thermal ocean vents. They are true bacteria as opposed to the other inhabitants of extreme environments, the Archaea. An example occurrence of certain extremophiles in this family are organisms of the genus Sulfurihydrogenibium that are capable of surviving in extremely hot environments such as Hverigerdi, Iceland.