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Science 9 June 1978:
Vol. 200. no. 4346, pp. 1157 - 1159
DOI: 10.1126/science.200.4346.1157
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Articles

Absence of Microorganisms in Crustacean Digestive Tracts

PAUL J. BOYLE 1 and RALPH MITCHELL 1

1 Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Two marine and one terrestrial wood-boring isopod species and one wood-inhabiting amphipod species maintain a digestive tract free of microorganisms. Digestive tracts examined in toto with the scanning electron microscope were devoid of microorganisms. In contrast, the outer exoskeleton surfaces of these crustaceans support a dense bacterialflora. Observations of the hindgut of termites revealed a diverse gut microflora as expected.

Submitted on December 28, 1977


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)