182 



This organism was first isolated in November, 1927 "by 

 Metalnikov and Chorine (1928) who found it repeatedly in 

 diseased corn "borers. Larvae of Pyrausta nubilalis and 

 G-alleria mellonella , inoculated with a "tiny dose" of 

 Cocco"bacillus ellingeri died in the course of 2 to 12 

 hours. Corn "borer larvae were very susceptible to infec- 

 tion through the intestinal tract, the hacteria passing 

 through the wall of the intestine into the "blood where 

 they were found in great numbers. The "bacterium has no 

 pathogenic effect on guinea pigs or rabbits. 



According to its discoverers, " Coccohacillus ellingeri 

 somewhat resembles Bacterium sphingidis White, Bacterium 

 noctuarum White, and Bacterium melolonthae liquefaciens 

 alpha Paillot. It differs, however, from these three spe- 

 cies "by "being non-motile. There are also other minor dif- 

 ferences. " 



Citrus fruits infested "by Ceratitis capitata in Sicily 

 were found "by Ciferri (193*0 to tie "infected" Tdv a Toacter- 

 ium, apparently Escherichia (Cocco"bacillus) ellingeri . 

 It appeared to "be a "symbiont" "but could "become pathogenic 

 to the larva under certain conditions. 



In the 3d edition of Bergey's Manual (1930, p. 330) 

 this organism is referred to as Escherichia ellingeri 

 Bergev et al. However, in the 5th edition (1939, P- 606) 

 it was designated "by its original name, Cocco"bacillus 

 ellingeri . 



Ciferri, R. 193^ Associazione tra larve della Mosca 

 delle frutta ( Ceratitis capitata ) en un coccobacillo 

 ( Escherichia ellingeri ). Lav. R. 1st. iDot. Palermo., 

 k, 168-200. 



*Metalnikov, S. , and Chorine, V. 1928 The infectious 

 diseases of Pyrausta nubilalis Hb. Inter. Corn Borer 

 Invest., Sci. Repts. , 1, ^1-69. 



COCCOBAC 1 LLUS G I BSON I Chorine 

 (See also Bacillus gibsoni . ) 



Insect concerned: The corn "borer, Pyrausta nubilalis . 



Chorine (1929a and "b) isolated this "bacterium from sick 

 corn "borer larvae which he had received from Canada. He 

 described this, organism as "being very polymorphous, motile, 

 non- spore -forming, gram-negative "bacterium. The organism 

 was extremely virulent for the corn "borer larvae. The 

 borers could Tse infected "by injection and per os. Chorine 

 (1929a) gave a complete description of the organism. 



