Methanocorpusculum

In taxonomy, Methanocorpusculum is a genus of microbes within the family Methanocorpusculaceae. The species within Methanocorpusculum were first isolated from biodisgester wastewater and activated slidge from anaerobic digestors. In nature, they live in freshwater environments. Unlike most other methanogenic archaea, they do not require high termperatures or extreme salt concentrations to live and grow. The name Methanocorpusculum has Latin roots. It means bodies that produce methane. The cells of these archaea are small, irregular, and coccoid in shape. They are Gram-negatives y and not very motile. They reduce carbon dioxide to methane using hydrogen, but they can also use formate or secondary alcohols. They cannot use acetate or methylamines. They grow fastest at temperatures of 30–40 °C.