General Information: Marine member of dimorphic prosthecate bacteria. This organism is also known as Hyphomicrobium neptunium. It has a biphasic life style, which consists of a motile phase of flagellated swarmer cells, and a cessile phase in which a long prosthecate is produced at one end of the bacteria through which budding cells emerge. Newly budded cells in turn produce flagella and go through a motile phase and the cycle continues. These organisms can colonize the surfaces of marine environments which enables additional species to colonize at later stages. This organism may be of use in treatment of water as they attach to a solid surface and are capable of degradation of a number of pollutants including aromatic hydrocarbons, dimethyl sulfoxide and methyl chloride.