MYCOPLASMA ELEPHANTIS SP-NOV, A NEW SPECIES FROM ELEPHANTS

Organisms with the typical characteristics of mycoplasmas were isolate d from the genital tracts of female elephants. The results of growth i nhibition tests, metabolic inhibition tests, indirect immunofluorescen ce tests, and immunobinding assays showed that the isolated mycoplasma s were identical and distinct from previously described Mycoplasma, En tomoplasma, Mesoplasma, and Acholeplasma species. These organisms repr esent a new species, for which the name Mycoplasma elephantis is propo sed. M-elephantis ferments glucose, fructose, maltose, mannose, and su crose, produces films and spots, does not hydrolyze arginine, esculin, and urea, does not reduce methylene blue, tetrazolium chloride, and p otassium tellurite, does not possess phosphatase activity, and reduces resazurin. It lyses avian, ovine, and guinea pig erythrocytes. It doe s not adsorb erythrocytes. Cholesterol or serum is required for growth . The optimum growth temperature is 37 degrees C. The G+C content of t he DNA is 24.0 mol%. The type strain of M-elephantis is E42 (=ATCC 519 80).