What arrangement is referred to as "diplo-"?

The term "diplo-" refers specifically to pairs of cells in microbiological terminology. This prefix is derived from the Greek word for "double" or "two." In microbiology, it typically describes the arrangement of cells after cell division, where two daughter cells remain together. This arrangement is commonly observed in certain bacterial species, such as those of the genus Neisseria, which frequently appear as diplococci, meaning they have formed pairs due to their cellular division pattern.

The other options describe different arrangements: chains refer to a linear alignment, single cells describe isolated organisms, and cubes refer to the arrangement known as "sarcina," where cells grow and divide in three dimensions to form a cube-like structure.