Halococcus

Halococcus (common abbreviation: Hcc.), from Ancient Greek ἅλς (háls), meaning "salt", and κόκκος (kókkos), meaning "berry", is a genus of archaeans in the family Halococcaceae.

== Ecology == Halococcus is a genus of extreme halophilic archaea, meaning that they require high salt levels, sometimes as high as 32% NaCl, for optimal growth. Halophiles are found mainly in inland bodies of water with high salinity, where their pigments (from a protein called rhodopsinprotein) tint the sediment bright colors. Rhodopsinprotein and other proteins serve to protect Halococcus from the extreme salinities of their environments. Because they can function under such high-salt conditions, Halococcus and similar halophilic organisms have been used in the food industry and even in skin-care products.