Isolation and identification of gut symbiotic bacteria of the termite Anacanthotermes vagans (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae)

Abstract

Termites play a major role in reducing and decomposing woody materials within terrestrial ecosystems by degrading lingo-cellulosic materials with the help of the microbial community of their guts. We isolated the lignin-degrading bacteria from Anacanthotermes vagans (Hagen) using liquid and solid media containing wheat straw and lignin hydrochloric acid. Cellulose-degrading bacteria were also isolated using liquid medium containing filter paper, agar-cellulose and Congo red agar-cellulose. By conducting various experiments, 16 bacterial species were isolated and subjected to different biochemical tests for comparing their growth rates. The genera Enterobacter and Klebsiella showed the highest growth rate among the rest species of isolated lignin-degrading bacteria. The species Staphylococcus lentus and Bacillus subtilis were isolated from the media containing cellulose.

Keywords

• anacanthotermes vagans
• lignin
• cellulose
• bacteria
• termite
• iran