DISINFECTION OF ROTIFER CYSTS LEADING TO BACTERIA-FREE POPULATIONS

A reliable method was developed to disinfect cysts of the salt water r otifers Brachionus plicatilis Muller and B. rotundiformis Tschugunoff. The method leads to the production of axenic populations for both spe cies of rotifers. The technique takes only a few minutes and requires very few manipulations, so the possibility of bacterial contamination is reduced. The microbiota that coats rotifer cysts was found to produ ce no adverse effects on hatching efficiency. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e B.V.