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Classification

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KINGDOM: Bacteria

DIVISION: Firmicutes

CLASS:  Mollicutes

ORDER:  Mycoplasmatates

FAMILY:  Mycoplasmatacae

GENUS: Mycoplasma

SPECIES:  Mycoplasma pneumoniae

    M. pneumoniae is in the kingdom Bacteria because it is a small, unicellular organism.  The Division Firmicutes includes all the gram positive bacteria.  M. pneumoniae is descended from gram positive bacteria, therefore it is include in the division Firmicutes.  Because M. pneumoniae are cell wall-less, they are put into the class Mollicutes.  The Order Mycoplasmatates and family Mycoplasmatacae have only two genera, one of which is Mycoplasma.  The Mycoplasms are cell wall-less parasites of vertebrate hosts that have a very short genome.  Finally, M. pneumoniae is a parasite of humans that is known to cause Primary Atypical Pneumonia. 

                   Classification of Mycoplasma pneumoniae