Host and Habitat Relationships 



621 



as compared by animal host. However, gelatin liquefaction and 

 glucose attack was more frequently encountered in Achromobac- 

 ter sp. from vertebrates; ammonia-producing and nitrate-reduc- 

 ing Achromobocter sp. were more frequently isolated from in- 

 vertebrate animals. 



Table 5 presents the comparison of physiological and bio- 

 chemical properties of Micrococcus and Flavobacterium sp. 

 from vertebrate and invertebrate marine animals. Micrococcus 

 sp. from \ ertebrates showed much greater general physiological 

 and biochemical activity, particularly noticeable in the nitrogen 

 metabolism reactions. Little apparent difference was noted in car- 

 bohydrate degradation by the two groups. The Flavobacterium 

 population from the two types of marine animals demonstrated 

 considerable carbohydrate utilization, but proved to be a more 

 exacting population, with respect to nutiition, than any of the 

 other three groups considered above: few Flavobacterium sp. 



TABLE 5 



CoMPARisox OF Physiological Properties of Psendomonas, Achromobacter, 



Micrococcus and Flavobacterium sp. from Vertebrate and 



Invertebrate Marine Animals 



* Litmus milk reaction 

 ** Expressed as per cent of the sample testing positive 

 Vert. = vertebrates 

 Inv. = invertebrates 



