Flagellar Characteristics 



The flagella originate as a tuft from the concave side of the 

 organism. In some individuals the flagella appear to originate 

 from a single point while in others the origin is more diffuse. 

 Sometimes only a thick, solid appearing, structure is seen which 

 probably represents several flagella twisted together. The flagellar 

 wavelength was somewhat variable and very long, averaging about 

 4.0 microns. In all the slides examined only one organism was 

 seen with a single flagellum of shorter wavelength. This curly 

 flagellum had a wavelength of 1.2 microns. The organism labeled 

 Spirillum sputigenum appears somewhat smaller than the or- 

 ganism from the cow rumen and the one seen in river water, but 

 of about the same size as the one from the dog intestine. 



60, Caryophanon 



Only one motile culture of this genus was obtained for study. 

 A culture labeled Caryophanon latum was received from Owen D. 

 Weeks of the University of Idaho. At the suggestion of Dr. Weeks 

 the organism was cultured in peptone media with 1% sodium 

 acetate at pH 7.6. Best growth and flagellation was obtained on 

 agar slants. In the liquid medium the growth was rather light. 

 Flagella stains were made from agar slants incubated at 20, 30, 

 and 37° C. Best flagellation was found at 20° C, almost as good 

 at 30° C, but definitely poorer at 37° C. Good motility was not 

 observed in any of the cultures in spite of good flagellation. Dur- 

 ing the period the culture was studied only the smooth phase of 

 growth was observed. The organisms were mainly short, ovoid 

 rods, frequently arranged in short chains or irregular groups. Only 

 occasionally were seen the longer forms with the characteristic 

 banded appearance. 



Flagellar Characteristics 



Numerous peritrichous flagella were observed at incubation 

 temperatures of 30° C. and below. Most frequently the flagella 

 were normal in curvature but individuals with curly flagella were 

 common (Fig. 67). Individuals with both normal and curly 

 flagella were occasionally seen. Change of pH of the bacterial sus- 

 pension did not change the wavelength of the flagella. The normal 

 flagellar wavelength averaged 2.14 microns, and the curly 1.09 

 microns. 



156 



