#microorganism any organism (animal or plant) of microscopic size
supertype: #living_thing__organism__being a living (or once living) entity that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
part: #pilus
subtype: #intestinal_flora harmless microorganisms (as Escherichia coli) that inhabit the intestinal tract and are essential for its normal functioning
subtype: #virus__viru ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic
subtype: #bacteriophage__phage virus parasitic in bacteria; multiplies within its host
subtype: #plant_virus__plantviru a plant pathogen that is a virus consisting of a single strand of RNA
subtype: #tobacco_mosaic_virus__TMV the widely studied plant virus that causes tobacco mosaic; it was the first virus discovered (1892)
subtype: #viroid__virusoid a plant virus with its RNA arranged in a circular chromosome without a protein coat
subtype: #onion_yellow-dwarf_virus the virus that produces stunting and yellowing of the leaves of onion plants
subtype: #potato_yellow-dwarf_virus the virus that produces stunting and yellowing of the leaves of potato plants
subtype: #animal_virus an animal pathogen that is a virus
subtype: #adenovirus any of a group of viruses including those that in humans cause upper respiratory infections or infectious pinkeye
subtype: #parainfluenza_virus__parainfluenzaviru a virus that causes upper respiratory infection (including the common cold and bronchiolitis); most often in children
subtype: #ebola_virus__ebolaviru a virus that causes viral hemorrhagic fever
subtype: #poxvirus any of a group of viruses that can cause pox diseases in vertebrates
subtype: #myxoma_virus a poxvirus closely related to smallpox virus; causes benign gelatinous tumors in humans
subtype: #variola_virus__variolaviru__smallpox_virus the virus that causes smallpox in humans
subtype: #variola_major_virus__variolamajorviru__variola_major__variolamajor a type of smallpox virus that has a fatality rate of up to 25 percent
subtype: #variola_minor_virus__variolaminorviru__variola_minor__variolaminor a type of smallpox virus that has a fatality rate of about 1 percent
subtype: #hepadnavirus a group of animal DNA viruses including viruses of ducks and woodchucks and squirrels and others as well as the virus causing hepatitis B in humans
subtype: #retrovirus any of a group of viruses that contain two single-strand linear RNA molecules per virion and reverse transcriptase (RNA to DNA)
subtype: #HTLV-1__human_T-cell_leukemia_virus-1 retrovirus causing T-cell leukemia
subtype: #HIV__human_immunodeficiency_virus the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); it replicates in and kills the helper T cells
subtype: #myxovirus__myxoviru any of a group of RNA viruses including those that cause influenza and mumps
subtype: #orthomyxovirus a group of viruses including those causing influenza
subtype: #paramyxovirus__paramyxoviru a group of viruses including those causing mumps and measles
subtype: #respiratory_syncytial_virus__respiratorysyncytialviru a paramyxovirus that forms syncytia in tissue culture and that is responsible for severe respiratory diseases such as bronchiolitis and bronchial pneumonia (especially in children)
subtype: #picornavirus a group of single-strand RNA viruses with a protein coat
subtype: #enterovirus__enteroviru any of a group of picornaviruses that infect the gastrointestinal tract and can spread to other areas (especially the nervous system)
subtype: #poliovirus the virus causing poliomyelitis
subtype: #hepatitis_A_virus the virus causing hepatitis A
subtype: #coxsackievirus__Coxsackie_virus enterovirus causing a disease resembling poliomyelitis but without paralysis
subtype: #echovirus__echoviru any of a group of viruses associated with various diseases including viral meningitis and mild respiratory disorders and diarrhea in newborn infants
subtype: #rhinovirus any of a group of picornaviruses that are responsible for many upper respiratory infections
subtype: #herpes_virus__herpes any of the animal viruses that cause painful blisters on the skin
subtype: #herpes_simplex_virus__herpes_simplex a herpes virus that affects the skin and nervous system
subtype: #herpes_simplex_1__HS1__HSv-1 a herpes virus that causes oral herpes
subtype: #herpes_simplex_2__HS2__HSV-2 a herpes virus that can cause genital herpes
subtype: #herpes_zoster_virus__herpes_zoster a herpes virus that causes shingles
subtype: #herpes_varicella_zoster_virus__herpes_varicella_zoster a herpes virus that causes chickenpox and shingles
subtype: #Epstein-Barr_virus__EBV the herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis; associated with specific cancers in Africa and China
subtype: #cytomegalovirus__cytomegaloviru any of a group of herpes viruses that can cause birth defects; can affect humans with impaired immunological systems
subtype: #varicella_zoster_virus the member of the herpes virus family that is responsible for chickenpox
subtype: #papovavirus__papovaviru any of a group of animal viruses associated with or causing papillomas or polyomas
subtype: #human_papilloma_virus__humanpapillomaviru any of a group of papovaviruses associated with genital or oral carcinomas or a group associated with benign genital tumors
subtype: #polyoma_virus__polyomaviru__polyoma a virus the can initiate various kinds of tumors in mice
subtype: #togavirus__togaviru any of a group of single-strand RNA viruses including those causing hepatitis non-A non-B and yellow fever
subtype: #rhabdovirus__rhabdoviru any of a group of RNA viruses including those causing rabies
subtype: #reovirus any of a group of RNA viruses including the rotavirus causing infant enteritis
subtype: #rotavirus__rotaviru the reovirus causing infant enteritis
subtype: #parvovirus__parvo any of a group of viruses containing DNA in an icosahedral protein shell and causing disease in dogs and cattle; not known to be associated with any human disease
subtype: #slow_virus a virus that remains dormant in the body for a long time before symptoms appear; "kuru is caused by a slow virus"
subtype: #tumor_virus a cell-free filtrate held to be a virus responsible for a specific neoplasm
subtype: #wound_tumor_virus__woundtumorviru__WTV a tumor virus transmitted by leafhoppers
subtype: #moneran__moneron organisms that typically reproduce by asexual budding or fission and whose nutritional mode is absorption or photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
subtype: #archaebacteria__archaebacterium__archaeobacteria__archeobacteria considered ancient life forms that evolved separately from bacteria and blue-green algae
subtype: #methanogen archaebacteria found in anaerobic environments such as animal intestinal tracts or sediments or sewage and capable of producing methane; a source of natural gas
subtype: #halophile__halophil archaebacteria requiring a salt-rich environment for growth and survival
subtype: #halobacteria__halobacterium__halobacter halophiles in saline environments such as the Dead Sea or salt flats
subtype: #thermoacidophile archaebacteria that thrive in strongly acidic environments at high temperatures
subtype: #eubacteria__eubacterium__truebacteria a large group of bacteria having rigid cell walls; motile types have flagella
subtype: #bacillus__bacilli__b aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations
subtype: #coccus__cocci any spherical or nearly spherical bacteria
subtype: #staphylococcus__staphylococci__staph spherical gram-positive parasitic bacteria that tend to form irregular colonies; some cause boils or septicemia or infections
subtype: #spirilla__spirillum any flagellated aerobic bacteria having a spirally twisted rodlike form
subtype: #clostridium__clostridia spindle-shaped bacterial cell especially one swollen at the center by an endospore
subtype: #botulinus__botulinu__botulinum__Clostridium_botulinum anaerobic bacterium producing botulin the toxin that causes botulism
subtype: #cyanobacteria__blue-green_algae predominantly photosynthetic prokaryotic organisms containing a blue pigment in addition to chlorophyll; occur singly or in colonies in diverse habitats; important as phytoplankton
subtype: #nostoc found in moist places as rounded jellylike colonies
subtype: #trichodesmium large colonial bacterium common in tropical open-ocean waters; important in carbon and nitrogen fixation
subtype: #phototrophic_bacteria__phototropic_bacteria__phototropicbacteria green and purple bacteria; energy for growth is derived from sunlight; carbon is derived from carbon dioxide or organic carbon
subtype: #purple_bacteria free-living Gram-negative pink to purplish-brown bacteria containing bacteriochlorophyll
subtype: #pseudomonad bacteria usually producing greenish fluorescent water-soluble pigment; some pathogenic for plants and animals
subtype: #ring_rot_bacteria__Pseudomonas_solanacearum causes brown rot in tomatoes and potatoes and tobacco etc
subtype: #xanthomonad bacteria producing yellow non-water-soluble pigments; some pathogenic for plants
subtype: #nitric_bacteria__nitrobacteria soil bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrates
subtype: #nitrosobacteria__nitrous_bacteria__nitrousbacteria soil bacteria that oxidize ammonia to nitrites
subtype: #thiobacillus small rod-shaped bacteria living in sewage or soil and oxidizing sulfur
subtype: #thiobacteria__sulphur_bacteria__sulphurbacteria__sulfurbacteria any bacterium of the genus Thiobacillus
subtype: #spirillum spirally twisted elongate rodlike bacteria usually living in stagnant water
subtype: #ratbite_fever_bacterium__ratbitefeverbacterium__Spirillum_minus a bacterium causing rat-bite fever
subtype: #vibrio__vibrion curved rodlike motile bacterium
subtype: #comma_bacillus__Vibrio_comma comma-shaped bacteria that cause Asiatic cholera
subtype: #Vibrio_fetus bacteria that cause abortion in sheep
subtype: #enteric_bacteria__entericbacteria__enterobacteria__enterics rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria; most occur normally or pathogenically in intestines of humans and other animals
subtype: #escherichia a genus of enteric bacteria
subtype: #Escherichia_coli normally present in intestinal tract of humans and other animals; sometimes pathogenic
subtype: #klebsiella a genus of nonmotile rod-shaped gram-negative enterobacteria; some cause respiratory and other infections
subtype: #salmonella rod-shaped gram-negative enterobacteria; cause typhoid fever and food poisoning
subtype: #Salmonella_enteritidis__Gartner's_bacillus a form of salmonella that causes gastroenteritis in humans
subtype: #Salmonella_typhimurium a form of salmonella that causes food poisoning in humans
subtype: #typhoid_bacillus__Salmonella_typhosa__Salmonella_typhi a form of salmonella that causes typhoid fever
subtype: #shigella rod-shaped gram-negative enterobacteria; some are pathogenic for warm-blooded animals
subtype: #shiga_bacillus__Shigella_dysentariae a bacillus that causes dysentery
subtype: #erwinia rod-shaped motile bacteria that attack plants
subtype: #endospore-forming_bacteria__endosporeformingbacteria a group of true bacteria
subtype: #rickettsias__rickettsia rod-shaped microorganisms resembling both bacteria and viruses; live in biting arthropods and cause disease in vertebrate hosts
subtype: #chlamydia coccoid rickettsia infesting birds and mammals; cause infections of eyes and lungs and genitourinary tract
subtype: #mycoplasma the smallest self-reproducing prokaryote; lacks a cell wall and can survive without oxygen; can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infection
subtype: #pleuropneumonialike_organism__pleuropneumonialikeorganism__PPLO antibiotic-resistant mycoplasma causing a kind of pneumonia in humans
subtype: #actinomycete any bacteria (some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals) belonging to the order Actinomycetales
subtype: #streptomyces aerobic bacteria (some of which produce the antibiotic streptomycin)
subtype: #Streptomyces_erythreus source of the antibiotic erythromycin
subtype: #Streptomyces_griseus source of the antibiotic streptomycin
subtype: #potato_scab_bacteria__Streptomyces_scabies cause of a potato disease characterized by brownish corky tissue
subtype: #actinomyces__actinomyce soil-inhabiting saprophytes and disease-producing plant and animal parasites
subtype: #mycobacteria__mycobacterium rod-shaped bacteria some saprophytic or causing diseases
subtype: #tubercle_bacillus__Mycobacterium_tuberculosis cause of tuberculosis
subtype: #leprosy_bacillus__Mycobacterium_leprae cause of leprosy
subtype: #myxobacteria__myxobacterium__myxobacter__gliding_bacteria__glidingbacteria__slime_bacteria__slimebacteria bacteria that form colonies in self-produced slime; inhabit moist soils or decaying plant matter or animal waste
subtype: #lactobacillus__lactobacillu gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria that produce lactic acid especially in milk
subtype: #streptococcus__streptococcu__streptococci__strep spherical gram-positive bacteria occurring in pairs or chains; cause e.g. scarlet fever and tonsillitis
subtype: #spirochete__spirochaete parasitic or free-living bacteria; many pathogenic to humans and other animals
subtype: #treponema spirochete that causes disease in humans (e.g. syphilis and yaws)
subtype: #borrelia cause of e.g. European and African relapsing fever
subtype: #Borrelia_burgdorferi__Lime_disease_spirochete cause of Lyme disease; transmitted primarily by ticks of genus Ixodes
subtype: #leptospira important pathogens causing Weil's disease or canicola fever
subtype: #bacteria__bacterium single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered plants
subtype: #acidophil__acidophile an organism that thrives in a relatively acid environment
subtype: #bacteroid any of the rod-shaped or branched bacteria in the root nodules of nitrogen-fixing plants
subtype: #bacteroid.bacteria a rodlike bacterium of the genus Bacteroides
subtype: #genus_Calymmatobacterium__Calymmatobacterium a genus of bacterial rods containing only the one species that causes granuloma inguinale
subtype: #gonococcus__Neisseria_gonorrhoeae the pus-producing bacterium that causes gonorrhea
subtype: #nitrobacterium any of the bacteria in the soil that take part in the nitrogen cycle; they oxidize ammonium compounds into nitrites or oxidize nitrites into nitrates
subtype: #nitrate_bacterium__nitratebacterium__nitric_bacterium any of the nitrobacteria that oxidize nitrites into nitrates
subtype: #nitrite_bacterium__nitritebacterium__nitrous_bacterium__nitrousbacterium any of the nitrobacteria that oxidize ammonia into nitrites
subtype: #penicillin-resistant_bacteria bacteria that are unaffected by penicillin
subtype: #rod.bacteria any rod-shaped bacterium
subtype: #streptobacillus__streptobacillu any of various rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria
subtype: #diplococcus__diplococcu gram-positive bacteria usually occurring in pairs
subtype: #pneumococcus__Diplococcus_pneumoniae bacteria causing pneumonia
subtype: #Rickettsia any of a group of parasitic bacteria that live in arthropods (as ticks and mites) and can cause disease if transmitted to human beings
subtype: #microbe__bug__germ a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use
subtype: #pathogen any disease-producing agent especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism
subtype: #protoctist any of the unicellular protists
subtype: #protozoan__protozoon any of diverse minute acellular or unicellular organisms usually nonphotosynthetic
subtype: #sarcodinian__sarcodine protozoa that move and capture food by forming pseudopods
subtype: #actinopod protozoa having stiff rodlike radiating pseudopods
subtype: #heliozoan protozoa with spherical bodies and stiff radiating pseudopods
subtype: #radiolarian protozoa with amoeba-like bodies and radiating filamentous pseudopods
subtype: #rhizopod__rhizopodan protozoa characterized by a pseudopod
subtype: #ameba__amoeba naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion
subtype: #endameba any ameba of the genus Endamoeba
subtype: #Endamoeba_histolytica the parasitic ameba that causes amebic dysentery in human beings
subtype: #foram__foraminifer marine microorganism having a calcareous shell with openings where pseudopods protrude
subtype: #globigerina marine protozoan having a rounded shell with spiny processes
subtype: #nummulite large fossil protozoan of the Tertiary period
subtype: #testacean any of various rhizopods of the order Testacea characterized by having a shell
subtype: #arcella an amoeba-like protozoan with a chitinous shell resembling an umbrella
subtype: #difflugia a protozoan with an ovoid shell of cemented sand grains
subtype: #ciliate__ciliated_protozoan__ciliophoran a protozoan with a microscopic appendage extending from the surface of the cell
subtype: #infusorian any member of the subclass Infusoria
subtype: #paramecium__paramecia any member of the genus Paramecium
subtype: #tetrahymena relative of the paramecium; often used in genetics research
subtype: #stentor any member of the genus Stentor
subtype: #vorticella protozoa having a transparent goblet-shaped body with a retractile stalk
subtype: #euglena minute single-celled green freshwater organism having a single flagella; often classed as algae
subtype: #flagellate_protozoan__flagellate__flagellated_protozoan__flagellatedprotozoan__mastigophoran__mastigophore usually nonphotosynthetic free-living protozoan with whiplike appendages; some pathogens of humans and other animals
subtype: #dinoflagellate chiefly marine protozoa having two flagella; a chief constituent of plankton
subtype: #noctiluca__Noctiluca_miliaris large bioluminescent marine protozoan
subtype: #peridinian flagellate with a thick test composed of plates
subtype: #genus_Leishmania__Leishmania flagellate protozoan that causes leishmaniasis
subtype: #zoomastigote__zooflagellate flagellate protozoan lacking photosynthesis and other plant-like characteristics
subtype: #hypermastigote flagellate symbiotic in the intestines of e.g. termites
subtype: #polymastigote flagellates with several flagella
subtype: #costia__Costia_necatrix a flagellate that is the cause of the frequently fatal fish disease costiasis
subtype: #giardia a suspected cause of diarrhea in humans
subtype: #trichomonad cause of trichomoniasis in women and cattle and birds
subtype: #plantlike_flagellate__plantlikeflagellate unicellular organisms having many characteristics of typical algae
subtype: #sporozoan parasitic spore-forming protozoan
subtype: #sporozoite one of the minute active bodies into which sporozoans divide in one stage of their life cycle
subtype: #trophozoite a sporozoan in the active feeding stage of its life cycle
subtype: #merozoite a cell that arises from the asexual division of a parent sporozoan during its life cycle
subtype: #coccidium__eimeria parasitic on the digestive epithelium of vertebrates and higher invertebrates
subtype: #gregarine vermiform protozoans parasitic in insects and other invertebrates
subtype: #haemosporidian minute protozoans parasitic at some stage of the life cycle in blood cells of vertebrates including many pathogens
subtype: #Plasmodium_vivax__plasmodium__malaria_parasite__malariaparasite parasitic protozoan of the genus Plasmodium that causes malaria in humans
subtype: #haemoproteid related to malaria parasite and having a phase in the viscera of various birds
subtype: #leucocytozoan__leucocytozoon parasitic in birds
subtype: #piroplasm minute parasite of red blood cells of mammals transmitted by a tick and causing diseases of domestic animals
subtype: #sarcosporidian__sarcocystidean__sarcocystieian parasite of the muscles of vertebrates
subtype: #haplosporidian parasite in invertebrates and lower vertebrates of no known economic importance
subtype: #actinomyxidian parasites of worms
subtype: #microsporidian parasite of arthropods and fishes that invade and destroy host cells
subtype: #myxosporidian mostly parasitic in fishes and including various serious pathogens
subtype: #alga__algae primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves
subtype: #seaweed plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
subtype: #arame an edilbe seaweed with a mild flavor
subtype: #wrack dried seaweed especially that cast ashore
subtype: #seagrass any of various seaweeds that grow underwater in shallow beds
subtype: #sea_wrack__seawrack__wrack growth of marine vegetation especially of the large forms such as rockweeds and kelp
subtype: #sea_tang__seatang__tang any of various coarse seaweeds
subtype: #golden_algae algae having the pigments chlorophyll and carotene and xanthophyll
subtype: #yellow-green_algae any alga of the division Chrysophyta with its chlorophyll masked by yellow pigment
subtype: #conferva any of various algae of the genus Tribonema; algae with branching filaments that form scum in still or stagnant fresh water
subtype: #diatom microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater colonial alga having cell walls impregnated with silica
subtype: #confervoid_algae algae resembling confervae especially in having branching filaments
subtype: #brown_algae__brownalgae algae having the chlorophyll masked by brown and yellow pigments
subtype: #kelp large brown seaweeds having fluted leathery fronds
subtype: #sea_tangle__seatangle__tang any of various kelps especially of the genus Laminaria
subtype: #fucoid_algae__fucoid any of various algae of the family Fucaceae
subtype: #rockweed coarse brown seaweed growing on rocks exposed at low tide
subtype: #fucus__fucu any member of the genus Fucus
subtype: #black_rockweed__blackrockweed__bladderwrack__bladder_fucus__bladderfucu__tang__Fucus_vesiculosus common black rockweed used in preparing kelp and as manure
subtype: #bladderwrack__Ascophyllum_nodosum similar to and found with black rockweed
subtype: #serrated_wrack__Fucus_serratus__tang brown algae seaweed with serrated edges
subtype: #gulfweed__sargassum__sargasso__Sargassum_bacciferum brown algae with rounded bladders forming dense floating masses in tropical Atlantic waters as in the Sargasso Sea
subtype: #euglenoid__euglenophyte__euglenid marine and freshwater green or colorless flagellate organism
subtype: #green_algae__greenalgae__chlorophyte algae that are clear green in color; often growing on wet ricks or damp wood or the surface of stagnant water
subtype: #sea_lettuce__sealettuce__laver seaweed with edible translucent crinkly green fronds
subtype: #pond_scum free-floating freshwater green algae
subtype: #spirogyra freshwater algae consisting of minute filaments containing spiral chlorophyll bands
subtype: #stonewort any of various submerged aquatic algae of the genus Chara having nodes with whorled filamentlike branches; usually encrusted with calcium carbonate deposits
subtype: #desmid freshwater green algae
subtype: #chlorella any alga of the genus Chlorella
subtype: #red_algae__redalgae marine algae in which the chlorophyll is masked by a red or purplish pigment; source of agar and carrageenan
subtype: #sea_moss any of various red algae having graceful rose to purple fronds (e.g. dulse or carrageen)
subtype: #Irish_moss__carrageen__carageen__carragheen__Chondrus_crispus dark purple edible seaweed of the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America
subtype: #dulse__Rhodymenia_palmata coarse edible red seaweed
subtype: #red_laver__redlaver__laver edible red seaweeds
subtype: #cryptomonad__cryptophyte common in fresh and salt water appearing along the shore as algal blooms
subtype: #protist__protistan free-living or colonial organisms with diverse nutritional and reproductive modes
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