DECOMPOSITION OF CHITIN BY MARINE BACTERIA

Abstract

Chitin-decomposing bacteria were isolated from marine sand, mud. water, decomposing horseshoe crabs, and the intestinal contents of Venus mercenaria mercenaria, Ostrea virginica, Loligo p. pealeii, Ovalipes ocellatus ocellatus, Mustelus mus-telus, Raia erinacea and Spheroides maculatus. A medium, consisting of uniformly dispersed chitin in agar, is descr. and recommended for the rapid detection of chitin-decomposing bacteria. These bacteria are most abundant in marine sand, less abundant in mud, few in sea water. Under exptl. conditions, the decomposition of Limulus shell was rapid in littoral sand, moderate in bottom mud, and negligible in sea water. During decomposition of the shell in sand there was no increase in the organic content of the latter; under comparable conditions in mud, there was an accumulation of organic N.