mycoplasma capricolum mycoplasma capricolum mycoplasma capricolum is a species of mycoplasma bacteria. it is primarily a pathogen of goats, but has also been found in sheep and cows. the species requires external sources of cholesterol to grow or survive (which usually comes in the form of a natural fatty acid auxotroph), but the uptaken fatty acid is not used as a substrate for energy production but rather for phospholipid synthesis instead. mycoplasma capricolum scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: mycoplasmatota class: mollicutes order: mycoplasmatales family: mycoplasmataceae genus: mycoplasma species: m. capricolum binomial name mycoplasma capricolumtully et al. 1974 (approved lists 1980) it causes a disease in goats called contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (ccpp).