CHARACTERIZATION AND ECOLOGICAL IMPLICATION OF LUMINOUS VIBRIO-HARVEYI ISOLATED FROM TIGER SHRIMP (PENAEUS-MONODON)

Characterization and ecological implication of luminous Vibrio harveyi isolated from tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Bull. Inst. Zool., Academia Sinica 32(3): 217-220. Among 602 tiger shrimp examined, 379 (63%) were found to be carriers of the Vibrio bacteria and 29% were found to be carriers of Vibrio harveyi. The V. harveyi strains are morphologically, physiologically, and biochemically described in this paper. The percentages of shrimp carrying both luminous and non-luminous V. harveyi in the Tungkang and Linyuan hatcheries of Taiwan were 51% and 46%, respectively at the time of this study. However, of both types of V. harveyi, the percentage of the luminous form in Tungkang strains was 42%, while in the Linyuan strains it was only 1%. Tracking records reveal that shrimp in the Tungkang hatchery started dying shortly after sampling, but that no deaths or diseases were found in shrimp from the Linyuan and three other hatcheries after sampling. It therefore appears that luminous V. harveyi is connected to the recorded shrimp deaths.