A family of bacteria that produce mucilaginous sheaths or coverings resembling cloaks, including iron and manganese-oxidizing bacteria.
From Greek chlamys (cloak) + bacteria + -aceae (family suffix in taxonomy). The name describes the characteristic sheath-like covering these bacteria produce.
Bacterial families are named for their visible characteristics—these bacteria literally wear 'cloaks' of mucus, so scientists named them the 'cloak-bacteria family'!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.