thermus thermus thermus is a genus of thermophilic bacteria. it is one of several bacteria belonging to the deinococcota phylum. thermus species can be distinguished from other genera in the family thermaceae as well as all other bacteria by the presence of eight conserved signature indels (csis) found in proteins such as adenylate kinase and replicative dna helicase as well as 14 conserved signature proteins (csps) that are exclusively shared by members of this genus. thermus thermus aquaticus scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: deinococcota class: deinococci order: thermales family: thermaceae genus: thermusbrock & freeze 1969 type species thermus aquaticusbrock & freeze 1969 species see text phylogeny