Collected reprints: Abstract 3276
Collected reprints
Abstract
Vranken, G.; Van Brussel, D.; Vanderhaeghen, R.; Heip, C. (1984). Research on the development of a standardized ecotoxicological test on marine nematodes : 1. Culturing conditions and criteria for two monhysterids, Monhystera disjuncta and Monhystera microphthalma. Ecotoxicol. Testing for the Mar. Environm. 2: 159-183
The brackish-water nematodes Monhystera disjuncta and Monhystera microphtalma were chosen as test organisms for ecotoxicological studies. Both species are locally abundant, have short life cycles and can be maintained for several generations under laboratory conditions. They reproduce very well on a sloppy bacto-agar (0.5-0.8%) made up with water of the natural habitat, enriched with 1% Vlasblom medium (Vlasblom, pers. commun.) and 1% silicium (15g.l-1), reaching densities of approximately 1000 individuals.cm-2.
Starting from such agnotobiotic cultures, a chemically defined artificial medium has been developed. This medium consists of 0.5% bacto-agar in artificial seawater, enriched with 1% silicium (15 g.l-1, 1% amino acids (modified after Lee et al, 1970) and 1% modified Provasoli-Walne nutrient medium (ratio 1:5) (Ukeles, 1976; Vlasblom, pers. commun.), with a mixture of unidentified bacteria as food supply.
A series of experiments was conducted in order to cultivate these nematodes under gnotobiotic circumstances with monospecific bacterial cultures. Several marine bacterial strains were isolated and tested . Two of them were suitable if a mixture of sterols (1%) was added to the medium.
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