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The Inadequacy of Monobacterially‐fed Paramecium aurelia as Food for Didinium nasutum
Author(s) -
BURBANCK W. D.,
EISEN JAMES D.
Publication year - 1960
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1960.tb00730.x
Subject(s) - paramecium aurelia , paramecium , biology , bacteria , population , paramecium caudatum , protozoa , zoology , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , biochemistry , genetics , demography , sociology
SYNOPSIS. Sterile Didinium nasutum were fed Paramecium Aurelia which had been grown on monofloral cultures of five different species of bacteria and on a wild mixed culture of bacteria. Didinia grown on monoflorally‐fed paramenia or starved paramecia maintained a low daily division rate (0.88‐2.06), and after 3 or 4 days died, frequently showing structural abnormalities before death. Didinia fed paramecia grown on a wild mixture of bacteria showed a higher division rate (4.96), did not die after 3 or 4 days, and encysted, when the food was exhausted. It is suggested that a diet consisting of monoflorally‐fed or starved paramecia is inadequate for Didinium . This may be due to the lack of some substance or substances related to the enzyme system of the predator, possibly proteolytic enzymes elaborated by paramecia. In the experiments of Gause on the destruction of one species by another, his failure to establish population oscillations between Didinium and Paramecium might have been due to an inadequate diet for the didinia which resulted in their lack, of encystment and death.