Fungal feeding by Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) in a tropical woodland in Orissa, India [squash prepartion, culturing of gut contents, selective feeding on pure fungal cultures, Rizophus, Synchephalastrum, Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus]
1980
Dash, M.C. | Nanda, B. | Behera, N. (Sambalpur Univ., Burla, Orissa (India). School of Life Sciences)
The food preference of three species of Enchytraeidae were examined by three techniques: (1) Squash preparations; (2) Culturing of gut contents; (3) Selective feeding on pure fungal cultures. Enchytraeids ingested large amount of organic material and fungi. Fungal material formed some 30% of the gut contents. Anteclitellar part of the body contained significantly higher percent of plant and fungal material than the postclitellar part. Analysis of gut contents showed that Rhizopus nigricans, Syncephalastrum racemosum, and Trichoderma viride are generally digested by enchytraeids while Penicillium steckii and Aspergillus niger are not digested. Isolations made from postclitellar gut content did not generally give rise to fungal colonies except for Aspergillus niger and Penicillium steckii.
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