magnetococcus marinus magnetococcus marinus magnetococcus marinus is a species of alphaproteobacteria that has the peculiar ability to form a structure called a magnetosome, a membrane-encased, single-magnetic-domain mineral crystal formed by biomineralisation, which allows the cells to orient along the earth’s geomagnetic field. the magnetococcus marinus grows chemolithoautotrophically with thiosulfate and chemoorganoheterotrophically on acetate. magnetococcus marinus scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: pseudomonadota class: alphaproteobacteria order: magnetococcales family: magnetococcaceae genus: magnetococcus species: m. marinus binomial name magnetococcus marinusbazylinski et al. 2013 it is a basal group in the alphaproteobacteria.