A family of SULFOLOBALES consisting of aerobic or facultatively anaerobic chemolithotrophic cocci, usually occurring singly. They grow best at a pH of about 2.

Synonyms: txid69655, txid41674, Sulfolobaceae, txid41980, Stygiolobus, Sulfurococcus, Metallosphaera, txid118883, Sulfurisphaera