halobacter

9.9

A tiny living thing that lives in very salty places like the Dead Sea

noun
/ˈheɪloʊˌbæktər/

Specialized

: halobacteria

When salt concentrations rise, halobacter flourish where other organisms cannot.

Examples

Scientists study halobacter to understand how life survives in extreme conditions.
The Dead Sea is home to abundant halobacter, coloring the water reddish hues.
The halobacter thrives in the Dead Sea.
Many halobacteria can survive extreme salinity.
Scientists study halobacter to understand how this microorganism survives in environments with high salt concentrations.
The Dead Sea is known for its unique ecosystem, which includes halobacter that thrive in its salty waters.
In salt flats, halobacter can be found in large numbers, showcasing their ability to adapt to extreme saline conditions.

Synonyms

halophile

vshalobacter

Specialized

1 9.9

A small living thing that lives well in very salty places like salt lakes

is specifically a microscopic archaeal microorganism adapted to those salty places

halobacterium

vshalobacter

Specialized

1 9.9

A tiny living thing that lives in very salty places like salt flats

is a broader archaeal microbe type, not limited to one genus

halophil

vshalobacter

Specialized

9.9

A microbe that needs very salty water or soil to live

is described as thriving in salty environments rather than merely needing them

Surface Forms

halobacter singular

halobacters plural

Morphology

halobacter = bacterium (semi-transparent) = halo + bacter

Formed from technical combining forms 'halo-' (salt) + 'bacter' (microbe); the 'bacterium' base is recognizable but the 'halo-' salt sense is specialized, so the meaning is only partially guessable by average learners.

Etymology

Halobacter comes from two parts: halo- meaning 'salt' and -bacter meaning 'bacteria'. So halobacter are tiny microbes that live in very salty places, which is why you find them in salt flats and the Dead Sea.