 Bacteria of this genus lack flagella, whip-like structures many bacteria use for locomotion, but exhibit twitching or swarming motility.This may be due to the activity of type IV pili, pole-like structures that can be extended and retracted.Motility in "A. baumannii" may also be due to the excretion of exopolysaccharide, creating a film of high-molecular-weight sugar chains behind the bacterium to move forward.