ACETATE UPTAKE FROM AMBIENT WATER BY THE FREE-LIVING MARINE NEMATODE ADONCHOLAIMUS-THALASSOPHYGAS

Nematodes belonging to the family Oncholaimidae are known to aggregate at sites of organic pollution. The oncholaimid Adoncholaimus thalassophygas (De Man, 1876), collected from the Weser Estuary, FRG, in 1989, has the capability to take up acetate at naturally occurring concentrations. Under almost axenic conditions, ca 2.3 to 3.0 ng sodium acetate was taken-up per worm within 24 h, when an ambient concentration of 0.33 mmol was offered. The concentration factor was ca 8.5 to 11.1. The results suggest that a highly motile oxybiotic nematode may benefit from the fermentation products of anoxic habitats. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.