While examining a hot spring, you find something you haven't seen before. It has a cell membrane, but the cell wall lacks peptidoglycan. It contains both DNA and RNA. The DNA is circular. It would be classified as a(n):

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The lack of peptidoglycan in the cell wall and the presence of circular DNA indicate that this organism is not a bacterium. The presence of RNA and the lack of a protein coat indicate that it is not a virus. It is not a prion, since prions lack both DNA and RNA. It is also not a fungus, as it lacks a nucleus and other characteristic fungal structures. Thus, the only remaining option is Archaea, which are similar to bacteria but have different cell wall and membrane lipids.

While Examining a Hot Spring, You Find Something You Haven't