Rhodoplanes elegans is a Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium in the family Rhodospirillaceae capable of both anoxygenic photosynthesis and aerobic heterotrophic growth. It was isolated from pond sediment and forms light pink-colored colonies due to bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments. Its metabolic flexibility allows it to thrive under varying light and oxygen conditions in aquatic sediment environments.