<p>
 This is Thiomargarita namibiensis – the largest of all known bacteria. Individual cells can reach nearly 1mm in diameter. These bacteria are lithotrophs that gain energy from the oxidation of sulfide using oxygen or nitrate as an electron acceptor. The bright spots are elemental sulfur that is stored inside the cell. These samples were collected off of Walvis Bay, Namibia.
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  <img alt="Thiomargarita namibiensis, the world's largest known bacterial &quot;species.&quot;" class="size-medium wp-image-6750 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="6750" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="photo 3" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_6749/photo-34.jpg" width="300"/>
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 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-6750">
  Thiomargarita namibiensis, the world’s largest known bacterial “species.”
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Thiomargarita namibensis (Giant sulfur bacteria)

Jake Bailey

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