Surgeon fish with 1" long bacteria (fwd)

[Ted Snazelle]

Here is the reply to phodgin at ibm.net
Unfortunately, I do not have a reference for Epulopiscium.

Ted Snazelle                                       inet: snazelle at csc.mc.edu
Mississippi College                                            (601)925-3339
Clinton, MS  39058

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 6 May 1995 22:18:04 +0600 (CST)
From: Ted Snazelle <snazelle at csc.mc.edu>
To: phodgin at ibm.net
Cc: microbiology at net.bio.net
Subject: Re: Surgeon fish with 1" long bacteria

Perhaps you are inquiring about the "world's largest bacterium",
Epulopiscium, which was discovered by an Indiana University graduate
student, Esther Angert.  Epulopiscium means "guest at a banquet of
fish."  This bacterium measured about half a millimeter in length, I
believe, not an inch!  It seems that surgeonfish eat algae and that
Epulopiscium may secrete enzymes to help the surgeonfish digest its
algal meals.

Ted

 On 7 May 1995 phodgin at ibm.net wrote:

> A few years ago there was a story of a surgeon fish  caught off Australia
> that had a 1 inch long bacteria in its stomach.
> Does anyone know where I can get more information on this?
> Please mail me info at phodgin at ibm.net
> Thanks.
> 



Ted Snazelle                                       inet: snazelle at csc.mc.edu
Mississippi College                                            (601)925-3339
Clinton, MS  39058