myxococcus

noun

myxo·​coc·​cus -ˈkäk-əs 

1

capitalized : a genus of myxobacteria in which the rod-shaped vegetative cells are transformed into ovoid to spherical spores

2

plural myxococci -ˈkäk-ˌ(s)ī  : any myxobacterium of the genus Myxococcus