Which bacterium is famous for forming fruiting bodies and cooperative hunting groups?

Myxococcus xanthus is famous for forming fruiting bodies and cooperative hunting groups.

When nutrients are plentiful, individual cells move across surfaces and release enzymes and antibiotics that help break down or inhibit other microorganisms. The cells can then absorb the resulting nutrients, making the species a notable example of bacterial predation.

During starvation, many cells aggregate into multicellular fruiting bodies. Some cells become resistant spores called myxospores, while others form the supporting structure. This developmental cycle shows that bacteria can coordinate behavior, change shape, and divide labor within a population.

The cooperation is regulated by chemical signals and physical contacts between cells. Myxococcus xanthus is therefore widely used in studies of social evolution, microbial development, motility, and signaling. Its fruiting bodies are not fungal mushrooms; they are temporary structures made by bacterial cells responding to starvation.