Date of Award

1953

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Biology

Abstract

The author has carried out an investigation of the bacterial flora of the alimentary canal of twenty-five specimens of Passalus Cornutus Fabricius between February and August and has described the species of organisms encountered. One hundred and eighty-two organisms were identified. Five families, six genera, and sixteen species were represented. Family Enterobacteriaceae is represented by: Escherichia freundii (Braak), Escherichia intermedium (Werkman and Gillen), Erwinia nimipressularis (Carter), Erwinia passali (sp. nov.), Erwinia intests (sp. nov.), and Erwinia virginia (sp. nov.). Only Bacterium passali (sp. nov.) is found in Family Bacteriaceae. Family Achromobacteriaceae is represented by Achromobacter passali (sp. nov.). Family Bacillaceae is as follows: Bacillus passali (sp. nov.), Bacillus henricus (sp. nov.), Bacillus richmondi (sp. nov.), and Bacillus steinhausus (sp. nov.). Family Pseudomonadaceae is represented by Pseudomonas cruciviae (Gray and Thornton) var., Pseudomonas passali (sp. nov.), Pseudomonas smarta (sp. nov.), and Pseudomonas steinhausa (sp. nov.).

Anaerobic investigation disclosed all isolations to be facultative anaerobes. No strict anaerobes were encountered. All species isolated enjoyed good growth in both the psychrophilic and mesophilic temperature ranges.

There was very little variation in the different species of bacteria isolated from beetles taken from different types of wood.

The digestion of cellulose by bacteria from the alimentary canal of Passalus was investigated on three types of cellulose media. Growth was noted frequently, but no digestion of cellulose was observed.

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