The Pleurocapsales are an order of coccooid

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, bl ...

. Pleurocapsales are characterized by having boocytes, specialized cells where multiple fission takes place. Their ecology is mainly endolytic and calcareous, they are found inside rocks and in low light conditions. Pleurocapsales were thought to be related to ''Chroococcidiopsis'' but recent work with phylogenetics of the 16S rDNA gene has shown that ''Chroococcidiopsis'' belongs to its own order Chroococcidiopsidales. Some genera within Pleurocapsales form pseudo-ramifications such as ''Pleurocapsa'' sp., ''Odorella'' sp, and all the genera within the Hyellaceae family. Historically, the order Pleurocapsales has been one of the least studied orders of cyanobacteria, due to its endolithic ecology making them difficult to observe.

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Bacteria orders {{cyanobacteria-stub