"S. aureus" (, Greek σταφυλόκοκκος, "grape-cluster berry", Latin "aureus", "golden") is a facultative aerobic, Gram-positive coccal (round) bacterium also known as "golden staph" and "oro staphira". "S. aureus" is nonmotile and does not form spores. In medical literature, the bacterium is often referred to as "S. aureus", "Staph aureus" or "Staph a.". "S. aureus" appears as staphylococci (grape-like clusters) when viewed through a microscope, and has large, round, golden-yellow colonies, often with hemolysis, when grown on blood agar plates. "S. aureus" reproduces asexually by binary fission. Complete separation of the daughter cells is mediated by "S. aureus" autolysin, and in its absence or targeted inhibition, the daughter cells remain attached to one another and appear as clusters.