Thiomargarita Magnifica, which cannot cause disease, is approximately the size of a human eyelash, thrilling experts who say that there is yet a great deal more life to be uncovered on Earth.
Scientists have identified a new bacterium that is visible to the naked eye, classifying it as the world’s largest.
The discovery of Thiomargarita Magnifica in the shallow mangrove swamps of the Caribbean has caused scientists to redefine the capabilities of bacteria.
The single-celled creature, which is incapable of causing disease, is approximately two centimeters long and is enclosed within little membrane-bound sacs.
“They are thousands of times larger than typical bacteria. The discovery of this bacterium is comparable to meeting a person as tall as Mount Everest, according to marine biologist Jean-Marie Volland, who released a study on the organisms.
“It is orders of magnitude larger than what we previously believed to be the greatest size for a single bacterium… They are comparable in size and form to an eyelash.”
Olivier Gros, a microbiologist at the Université des Antilles and co-author of the paper, discovered them in sulfur-rich saltwater in a variety of Caribbean regions of Guadeloupe.
He stated, “In 2009, I discovered long white filaments clinging to a buried mangrove leaf. Such threads fascinated me. I returned them to the laboratory for analysis.
“I was somewhat surprised to find such a large bacterium dwelling in the mangroves of Guadeloupe.”
The average length of a bacterial species is between one and five micrometers (0.001 mm), however, this species measures 10,000 micrometers (four-tenths of an inch or one centimeter), with some measuring twice that long.
Until today, the largest bacteria known measured approximately 750 micrometers.
Thiomargarita Magnifica is not the largest known single-celled organism on Earth, as the aquatic alga Caulerpa taxifolia is between 15 and 30 centimeters in length.
Mr. Volland noted that the newly discovered bacteria demonstrate that some forms of life on Earth have yet to be discovered, stating, “Life is interesting, highly diverse, and quite complex. It is essential to maintain curiosity and an open mind.”
