What is archaea (microbiology)?

Domain Archaea is as diverse as domain Bacteria, and its representatives can be found in any habitat. Some archaea are mesophiles, and many are extremophiles, preferring extreme hot or cold, extreme salinity, or other conditions that are hostile to most other forms of life on earth. read more

Archaea were the first known living organisms to reside on earth. These were unicellular and gradually they divided forming different other microbes. Archaea were the organisms which started life on Earth. read more

Archaea were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria (in the Archaebacteria kingdom), but this classification is outdated. Archaeal cells have unique properties separating them from the other two domains of life, Bacteria and Eukarya. The Archaea are further divided into multiple recognized phyla. read more