29+ Examples Of Extremophiles: Detailed Explanations and Images

In their name it is cleared that these extremophiles are those who can survive in extreme situations or extreme environment. Examples of extremophiles are acidophiles, halophiles etc.

That means these kinds of organisms can live in to most high to most low ph, acidity, salinity, temperature, radiation and other situations or environments. The most known examples of extremophiles are Deinococcus radiodurans. They can show their power to live in inhospitable circumstances.

Thermophile

These heat loving types of organisms are found in heat producing or heat prone area. Under this type the creatures live in the hot atmosphere like volcano, deep sea in high temperature or around geysers etc. Examples of extremophiles under this category survive from 113 up to 251 degrees (Fahrenheit).

examples of extremophiles
Thermophile from Wikipedia

Psychrophile

It is exactly opposite of the thermophiles. It is cold loving organisms which can survive under extreme cold environment or circumstances. They live usually in polar seas or Antarctica regions. They are also famous as cryophiles. This kind of examples of extremophiles can survive from 5 to 15 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Halophile

These salt loving types of organisms are found in high salt producing or salt prone area. Under this type the creatures live in the salty atmosphere like salt lakes (e.g.- Great Salt Lake) or salt lumps. It includes halobacterium. This kind of examples of extremophile possess mainly the prokaryotic bacteria.

Acidophile

These acid attracting types of organisms are found in high acid producing or acid prone area. Under this type the creatures live in the acidic atmosphere like volcanic landscapes. It can survive under 1 to 5 pH which is high in acidic value. This kind of examples of extremophiles include eukaryotes, bacteria and usually archaea which are mesophilic in nature.

Alkaliphile

It is exactly opposite of the acidophiles. It is alkaline loving organisms which can survive under extreme alkalinity environment or circumstances. In lignocellulolytic it is used widely. It can survive under 9 to high pH which is high in alkaline value. This kind of examples of extremophiles include bacteria and other organisms.

Piezophile

These kinds of microorganisms can survive optimally under high pressure or high hydrostatic pressure. It is found in subsurface of the terrestrial location and in ocean ditches. These weight loving creatures are also famous as the name of barophile. This kind of examples of extremophiles include deep sea bacteria, archaea etc like Thermococcus piezophilus.

Hyperthermophile

Upgrading the thermophiles there is another subdivision which is extremely heat loving and kind of different in nature than thermophiles. They have several mechanisms to support it. It can tolerate and grow in 80o to 120o C. This kind of examples of extremophiles live in the smoker vents of deep sea.

Archaeans

The unicellular microbes represent this kind of group. This is halophilic. This is bacteria and archaea family and it possesses 48 genera and 177 species. It belongs to the huge domain Archaea. It contains the halobacteria as well. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in many places.

Xerophile

It can survive in an extreme dry condition. It can be both Psychrophile or thermophile that means they can grow in both hot and cold environment but it should be dry. Its best pH is 2 to 3. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in Atacama Desert. It works in very low water. It also possesses bacteria, archaea etc.

Toxicophile

It can survive in an extreme toxic condition. Many ingredients that make the toxins in nature. But these organisms can live in this environment. Extreme toxicity is its comfortable zone. Many bacteria are including this group. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in biotic sewage or factory or in dissolved biotic matter.

Radiophile

These radiation loving types of organisms are found in radiation producing or radiation prone area. Usually, found in radiation lab or radiation factories. Some rays or exotic materials are largely tolerant for this group of extremophiles. This kind of examples of extremophiles can survive in high radiation.

Deinococcus radiodurans

It is radiation resistant creature found in very first time and very well examined. It is the model organism of extremophiles. It contains many kinds of extremophile characters like Xerophile and Piezophile. This kind of examples of extremophiles found and grow in radioactive pond which is used to cool the fuel. It is so useful as an extremophile in radiation factory.

examples of extremophiles
Deinococcus radiodurans from Wikipedia

Bacillus

This represents the bacteria group mainly. They are hyperthermophilic. This kind of examples of extremophiles possess Clostridia, Fervidobacterium, Rhodothermus etc.

Thermus aquaticus

This one and Thermococcus litoralis basically the thermophiles which are used as the enzymes being an extremophile. It is used in criminal cases like DNA fingerprinting (Taq DNA polymerase). This kind of examples of extremophiles are kind of photosynthetic bacteria which can live up to 176o F (80o C). it I discovered by Thomas Brock in 1960s.

Hypolith

These kinds of microorganisms can survive optimally under high rocky environment. It lives and grows in rocky soil surface. It is found usually in rocks of cold desert. This kind of examples of extremophiles found its carbon source from carbon dioxide.

Pyrolobus fumarii

It is radiation resistant as like Deinococcus radiodurans. This can live up to 114o C. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in Northern Seas in the vents of submarine which are usually hydrothermal. The temperature is 100o C and above is the suitable environment for this bacterium.

Metallotolerant

Under this group the organisms are extremely tolerant in heavy metals. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in factories of metals and also can grow in dissolved metallic circumstances.

Methanogen

Under this group the organisms’ forms methane. It is a type of archaea. They form it from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in many places like garbage or dumping ground.

Snottite

This type of organisms is also named as “snoticle”. This kind of examples of extremophiles are single cell bacteria (unicellular). Usually, they made colonies of cave living organisms which are known as snottites.

Capnophile

Under this group the organisms are extremely tolerant in high concentration of Carbon dioxide. So, it is found in factories which produces high amount of Carbon dioxide. This kind of examples of extremophiles can survive in low oxygen and it includes many bacteria which live and grow in this environment.

Tardigrades

It is way more extremotolerant and one of the most elastic things for the human. It is eight legged creature and the size are too tiny that it needs high power microscope. This kind of examples of extremophiles bear water and can survive in high heat, cold, salinity, pressure, dryness, lack of O2 etc. That means it is Thermophile, Psychrophile, Acidophile, Piezophile all in one. Even it can survive in space or solar system.

Cyanobacteria

Can function in a very low pH and made up its own food. They are small in size and unicellular. This kind of examples of extremophiles grow the colonies in a huge amount. Live in acidic environment in stomach and even can work in space. Found in usually edaphic and hypolithic places like Namib Desert. But otherwise, they are found in many common places too.

Sea monkeys

It is a kind of shrimp live in ocean under the high salinity and usually dwells in salt lakes (Great Salt Lake) or in salt swamps or seas (Dead Sea). This kind of examples of extremophiles though found in all over the world. Its another name is Artemia salina.

examples of extremophiles
Sea monkeys from Wikipedia

Grylloblattidae

It is a family of Psychrophile. Actually, these kind of insects works under this group. It is found only in very low temperature like mountains, glaciers, stagnant ice tec. This kind of examples of extremophiles are not found in all over the world.

Cellulomonas

It is a genus of bacteria. They are gram positive and rod shaped. They are extremophiles because they have the ability to digest cellulose using some enzymes. They are endoglucanase and exoglucanase. This kind of examples of extremophiles are under the members of Actinomycetota.

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

It is a widely studied bacteria which is found in sewage of mine. It is a prokaryote which is acidophilic in nature. That is why it is named so. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in naturally low pH places or anthropogenic places. It is used for bioleaching of copper.

Thermus thermophilus

It is a gram-negative bacterium which is thermophilic and can grow in the temperature of 65 degree Centigrade or 149 degrees Fahrenheit. It is hugely used in the biotechnological applications. They may be manipulative model genetic organisms or may be biology systems or genomics of structure.

Geobacillus

It is a gram positive and rod-shaped bacterium. It is a kind of thermophiles. This kind of examples of extremophiles can live and grow in 55 to 65 degrees Centigrade. It is found in hot springs or canned foods or dairy factories or in vegetables too.

Arthrobacter

Its growth cycle is like the rod coccus. This kind of examples of extremophiles found in soils or subsurface of plants etc. It is a kind of genus which possesses the obligate aerobes bacteria.

Nostoc Commune

They are the part of cyanobacteria of nostoc. It is also known as star jelly or mare’s egg or witch’s butter. This kind of examples of extremophiles fix the nitrogen from the atmosphere to where there is no nitrogen. Photosynthetic pigments are present and thylakoids are present in cytoplasm.

examples of extremophiles
Nostoc Commune from Wikipedia

Types of extremophiles

There are many types of extremophiles discussed before. But there is main 4 types which are considered as the most known and famous extremophiles. Examples of extremophiles include many factors.

The 4 types are acidophiles, halophiles, psychrophiles, radiophiles. Examples of extremophiles which can be considered as one of the most known is Tardigrades that can bear water in any situation like dryness or cold or extreme hot temperature or in toxic places or in lack of oxygen etc.

Examples of extremophiles animals

The main microbes which do well work as extremophiles are specially belong to the bacteria group like Archeae or Eukarya. They can be sometimes eukaryotes or protists like fungi, algae and protozoa.

Deinococcus radiodurans is the most known extremophiles. More examples of extremophiles are Cellulomonas, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thermus aquaticus, Thermus thermophilus, Thermococcus litoralis, Pyrolobus fumarii, Geobacillus, Arthrobacter, Bacillus pumilus, Polaromonas vacuolata, Nostoc Commune etc.

Examples of archaea extremophiles

Maximum extremophiles are under this Archaea family. Examples of extremophiles are usually unicellular, microorganisms and can survive in extreme situations like dryness or cold or heat or pressure etc.

Though most extremophiles are under this group but there are also some exceptional organisms which are extremophiles. This type of examples of extremophiles are eukaryotes like protists which includes algae, fungi, protozoa etc. Besides, there are multicellular organisms also under this group.

Examples of extremophiles bacteria

Extremophiles are also included under bacteria family. Examples of extremophiles are usually unicellular, microorganisms and can survive in extreme situations like dryness or cold or heat or pressure etc.

There are many bacterial extremophiles recently known. E. coli is one of them. In Japan it was invented. Though cyanobacteria are known as extremophiles from very first time. More examples of extremophiles are Artemia salina, Helicobacter pylori bacteria, Gloeocapsa cyanobacteria, Tardigrades etc.

How do extremophiles survive?

Some extremophiles are adopted with the nature they survive through the process of evolution. They may grow or shed an organ or developed another enzyme. They may find some particular niche for development.

For examples of extremophiles, Psychrophiles live in a very low temperature. They do it such way that extremophiles developed some extra substances. That may be some glycerol or any antifreeze proteins. They can low the freezing point of water and live by the several degrees. This is a kind of way to survive.

examples of extremophiles
Habitat of Extremophiles from Wikipedia

Where do extremophiles live?

Usually, extremophiles live in their suitable places. But they can also live in normal environment too. Examples of extremophiles like cyanobacteria can live in both circumstances.

Comparing the environment, extremophiles live in many places like thermophiles in hot places like lava, volcano. In other side, Psychrophiles in cold and low temperature like glaciers, mountains etc. Examples of extremophiles usually survive in extreme nature (as mentioned in the name) like dryness, toxins etc.

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