the three shapes of bacteria and how they can be arranged
There are three main shapes of bacteria: bacillus, coccus, and spiral. Bacillus, or rod shaped bacteria, are one of the main forms, and are typically 0.5 micrometers to 1.0 micrometer in width, and from 1.0 micrometer to 4.0 micrometers in length. Examples of bacilli include Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax, and the well known E. coli.
A bacterium's shape can give the bacterium some advantages. For example, spiral bacteria can move through fluids more easily than can cocci or bacilli bacteria. Furthermore, bacteria can be classified by their growth characteristic patterns (Groupings). The prefix diplo-denotes cells arranged in pairs. The prefix staphylo-describes bacteria arranged in clusters like grapes. The prefix strepto-denotes bacteria arranged in a chain.