It is a facultative anaerobic Gram positive coccus usually preferring capnophilic or microaerophilic environments. The word "coccobacillus" reflects an intermediate shape between "coccus" (spherical) and "bacillus" (elongated). There are three basic shapes of mesophiles&colon; coccus, bacillus, and spiral. The bacterium is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus growing in clusters. It is a Gram-positive coccus, facultative anaerobe and catalase negative. The type species is "Coccus vitis" Linnaeus. The relationship between "Pheidole" ants and "Coccus viridis" in Hawaii is mutualistic. The agent that Bruce identified was classed as a coccus. Describing a bacterium as a coccus, or sphere, distinguishes it from bacillus, or rod. The type species is "Coccus hesperidum" . The Latin term for scarlet used in the Bible comes from "coccus", a "tiny grain". They have round cells, called cocci (singular coccus), or rod-like forms (bacillus). Obsolete terms for it include Coccus manniparus and Trabutina palestina. The scale insect "Dactylopius coccus" produces the brilliant red-coloured carminic acid to deter predators. This species of coccus stains Gram-negative, is non-motile, cannot form spores, and forms short chains.