filamentous colony

They exhibit a range of morphologiies, including filamentous colonies and biofilms.

The tiny fossils resemble filamentous colonies of cells, but have evaded positive identification.

The individual bacteria tend to form filamentous colonies enclosed in sheaths, which are known as trichomes.

Some filamentous colonies show the ability to differentiate into several different cell types: vegetative cells, the normal, photosynthetic cells that are formed under favorable growing conditions; akinetes, the climate-resistant spores that may form when environmental conditions become harsh; and thick-walled heterocysts, which contain the enzyme nitrogenase, vital for nitrogen fixation.