— methanogenic , adj.
/me than"euh jeuhn, -jen'/ , n.
any of a diverse group of widely distributed archaebacteria that occur in anaerobic environments, as the intestinal tracts of animals, freshwater and marine sediments, and sewage, and are capable of producing methane from a limited number of substrates, including carbon dioxide and hydrogen, acetate, and methylamines: an important source of natural gas.
[ 1975-80; METHANE- + -O- + -GEN ]