Domain Archaea
Pyrodictium

The Pyrodictium live adjacent to ocean floor volcanoes and hydrothermal vents.

They are among the most extreme heat-loving organisms ever discovered. Pyrodictium cells are a model of thermal stability.

The Pyrodictium can thrive in temperatures as high as 220 ºF!

While this is above the boiling point of water at sea level, it is far below boiling in the intense pressures exerted at its home depth on the deep sea floor. (When studying these organisms, special proceedures must be used to deal with the heat.)

All Pyrodictium are oxygen-intolerant and consume organic molecules, using sulfur and hydrogen for energy. They have a flat, disk-shaped structure .

The cells are held together by a unique matrix of hollow tubules that allow some movement to regulate the intense heat.

The heat-loving Archaea demonstrate that the ingredients for life can be pretty simple - water, heat and hydrogen. They expand the possibility of life on other planets.