 isolated from the Gulf of Maine.The bacterium was named "Nitrospira marina".Populations were initially thought to be limited to marine ecosystems, but it was later discovered to be well-suited for numerous habitats, including activated sludge of wastewater treatment systems, natural biological marine settings (such as the Seine River in France and beaches in Cape Cod), water circulation biofilters in aquarium tanks, terrestrial systems, fresh and salt water ecosystems, and hot springs.