Octhermas

The the genus group octhermas replaced its ancestor protohydroia octherma and relatives copperhead octothermia and protohydroia impluviatus. Octhermas are immobile, thermophilic (or "heat loving") bacteria. They are generally octagonal shaped but some are square or even hexagonal shaped. Their thick cell walls protect them from the heat of the deep sea vents and hot springs they flourish in. They are orange in color because of the sulfur they absorb as well as the other volcanic materials. They gets its energy from these as well as the geothermic heat given off from the vents and hot springs. Thanks to this adaptation it needs no sunlight. While around the vents they form a honeycomb-like structure and have been known to build up so much they make cones around the vents. They reproduce through binary fission. Some species develop deposits of copper in their cell walls which can increase the strength of them.