Ancient Species

Archaea

Archaea are microbes that superficially look similar to bacteria. They are, however, an entirely different form of life - biochemically and genetically, they are as different from bacteria as animals are.

Archaea can live in extremely acid, alkaline or salty water.  Some live near rift vents on the sea bed at temperatures well over 100 degrees centigrade. But they are also common in plankton in the open sea.

There are enormous numbers of salt-loving archaea in saline ponds at the south end of San Francisco Bay.