Archaea
Domain of organisms
Why this is trending
Interest in “Archaea” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-26.
Categorised under History, this article fits a familiar pattern. Historical topics gain renewed attention when tied to commemorations, documentaries, or current events that echo past episodes.
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Key Takeaways
- Archaea ( ar- KEE -ə ) is a domain of organisms.
- Even though the domain Archaea cladistically includes eukaryotes, the term archaea ( sing.
- Archaea were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria ( , in the Archaebacteria kingdom), but this term has fallen out of use.
- Archaea are further divided into multiple recognized phyla.
- It is unknown if they can produce endospores.
Archaea ( ar-KEE-ə) is a domain of organisms. Traditionally, Archaea included only its prokaryotic members, but has since been found to be paraphyletic, as eukaryotes are known to have evolved from archaea. Even though the domain Archaea cladistically includes eukaryotes, the term archaea (sing. archaeon ar-KEE-on; from Ancient Greek ἀρχαῖον arkhaîon 'ancient') in English still generally refers specifically to prokaryotic members of Archaea. Archaea were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria (, in the Archaebacteria kingdom), but this term has fallen out of use. Archaeal cells have unique properties distinguishing them from Bacteria and Eukaryota, including: cell membranes made of ether-linked lipids; metabolisms such as methanogenesis; and a unique motility structure known as an archaellum. Archaea are further divided into multiple recognized phyla. Classification is difficult because most have not been isolated in a laboratory and have been identified only by their gene sequences in environmental samples. It is unknown if they can produce endospores.
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