thiomicrospira aerophila thiomicrospira aerophila thiomicrospira aerophila (basonynm: thioalkalimicrobium aerophilum) is an obligately alkaliphilic and obligately chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium that was previously the type species of thioalkalimicrobium prior to reclassification in 2017. it was first isolated from soda lakes in northern russia. thiomicrospira aerophila scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: pseudomonadota class: gammaproteobacteria order: thiotrichales family: piscirickettsiaceae genus: thiomicrospira species: t. aerophila binomial name thiomicrospira aerophilaboden et al. 2017 (sorokin et al. 2001)