ABSTRACT
The mycoplasmas are small (0.2-0.3 mm) membrane-bound pleomorphic, free living procaryotes. They are the smallest organisms capable of independent self-replication. They belong to the class of Mollicutes which is a taxon that contains small procaryotic organisms bounded by a single cell membrane. Mollicutes have no known relationship to bacteria, but because of their filamentous, star shape, or spherical appearance, they can be confused with cell wall deficient L-forms.
