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Staphylococcus: colony arrangement

Staphylococcus sp. form medium-size round, smooth and glistening colonies that have a soft buttery consistency. The colonies are opaque and usually pearly white, but may have yellow-gold pigmentation. Hemolysis may or may not be present.

The bottom slide shows the characteristic double zone hemolysis of Staphylococcus aureus, as it would be seen on a lighted background.