Re: vinegar eels

Greg. Ure (gregure at ozemail.com.au)
Tue, 01 Oct 1996 23:13:46 +1100

peter.unmack at ASU.Edu wrote:

> G'day fishdroppings
> Would someone care to remind me of the phyla and scientific name of
> vinegar eels?
> Thanks
> Peter Unmack

Hi
All you wanted to know about worms.
Where ?
Visit the Worm Breeder's Gazette Tables of Contents at http://eatworms.swmed.edu/htbin/wbgart/wbgtoc.shtml

Vinegar eels are Turbatrix aceti.

See Techniques for the Large-scale Axenic Culture and Aging of Turbatrix aceti and Possible Applications to
C. elegans by W.F. Hieb, M. Rothstein

For more on worms visit : http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu/banta/IL_ASC.TXT
An extract :
Turbatrix aceti, the vinegar eel. This is a species of
free-living (=non-parasitic) nematode adapted to the very low pH
of vinegar (about pH=3). Turbatrix lives on bacteria associated
with the (aerobic) formation of acetic acid from alcohol in wine
or cider. It was a common inhabitant of vinegar everywhere in
the days before pasteurization of vinegar. Pasteurization
requires mild heating of the mix before incubation is allowed to
proceed.

Turbatrix is dioecious and viviparous; the diagram is of a
female. Mature females can be recognized by immature worms
carried in the uterus. Identify: pharynx, circumesophageal nerve
ring, pharyngeal bulb, intestine, uterus, seminal receptacle,
ovary, anus. Note the postanal tail.

Nematodes are odd in a number of ways; one is the almost complete
absence of cilia; even the sperm are ameboid. Another is the
absence of circular muscles; the characteristic snake-like
thrashing behavior is almost diagnostic of nematodes.

Greg Ure
"The light works," he said indicating the window, "the gravity works" he said, dropping a pencil on the floor.
"Anything else we have to take our chances with"
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency