DYNAMICS OF THE LENGTH OF ACTINOMYCETE MYCELIUM AND PROKARYOTIC CELL NUMBER IN THE INVERTEBRATE INTESTINAL-TRACT

Studies employing luminescence microscopy showed that the earthworm Ei senia foetida and the millipede Pachyiulus flavipes fed with streptomy cete mycelium digested 86-93% of the mycelium; the other 7-14% was rel eased with the excrement. Earthworms were able to digest somewhat more mycelium than millipedes. The fate of mycelium in the intestinal trac ts of earthworms and millipedes was different: earthworms digested the bulk of the mycelium and excreted the rest of it; in the case of mill ipedes, the mycelium was accumulated in the hindgut, where the intense digestion of food and degradation of the peritrophic membrane occurre d. The possibility of the development and differentiation of actinomyc ete mycelium in the animal intestine is discussed.