Leptothrix (bacterium)

{{Short description|Genus of bacteria}}

{{About|the group of bacteria|the genus of spiders|Leptothrix (spider)}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|taxon = Leptothrix (bacterium)

|authority = Kützing 1843{{cite web|last1=Parte|first1=Aidan C.|last2=Euzéby|first2=Jean P.|title=Genus Leptothrix|url=https://lpsn.dsmz.de/genus/leptothrix|website=List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature|accessdate=15 December 2017|language=English}}

|type_species = Leptothrix ochracea

|type_species_authority = (Roth 1797) Kützing 1843

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision =

• Leptothrix cholodnii Mulder and van Veen 1963
• Leptothrix discophora (ex Schwers 1912) Spring et al. 1997
• Leptothrix lopholea Dorff 1934
• Leptothrix mobilis Spring et al. 1997
• Leptothrix ochracea (Roth 1797) Kützing 1843

|synonyms =

• Detoniella Trevisan in de Toni and Trevisan 1889
• Chlamydothrix Migula 1900

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web|author1=|title=Leptothrix|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=88&lvl=3&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock|website=NCBI taxonomy|publisher=National Center for Biotechnology Information|accessdate=14 December 2017|location=Bethesda, MD|language=English|quote=Other names: synonym: Detoniella Trevisan in de Toni and Trevisan 1889 synonym: Chlamydothrix synonym: "Chlamydothrix" Migula 1900 Lineage( full ) cellular organisms; Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Betaproteobacteria; Burkholderiales; unclassified Burkholderiales; Burkholderiales Genera incertae sedis }}

}}

File:Leptothrix_lichtmikroskopisch.jpg

Leptothrix is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the class Betaproteobacteria.{{cite book|doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_127 |chapter=Leptothrix |title=Encyclopedia of Geobiology |series=Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series |date=2011 |last1=Emerson |first1=David |pages=535–536 |isbn=978-1-4020-9211-4 }} The name is from the Greek {{lang|el|leptos thrix}} (literally '{{Transliteration|el|fine hair}}'). They occur in standing or slow-flowing, ferruginous, neutral to slightly acidic fresh waters with only low concentrations of organic matter. The energy metabolism of Leptothrix is strictly aerobic, oxidative, and chemoorganoheterotrophic. Five species are known: L. ochracea, L. discophora, L. cholodnii, L. lopholea, and L. mobilis.