Abstract

Microbiological processes which occur in the digestive tract of animals are of great significance to their feeding {Ciurlys, 1959; Leonovich, 1964; Sosnovskaya, 1953). Development of microflora of the digestive tract depends on many factors, including the season, environment, age of the animal; however, the greatest influence is exercised by the peculiarities of feeding {Lubianskiene & Jankevicius, 1975; Lubianskiene, Jankevicius, Trepsiene, & Zableckis, 1977; Syvokiene, 1977). The literature available on the microflora of the digestive tract of crustaceans is limited and in most cases the studies are carried out for sanitary purposes {Sousa & Caland, 1968; Caland & Sousa, 1968; Saha & Raychandhuri, 1973; Kergosien, 1969). The feeding habits of Astacys astacus L. have not been studied fully and there is a lack of information concerning the microflora of the digestive tract of A. astacus. Because of the decrease of A. astacus resources in natural water bodies in Lithuania it was necessary to breed juveniles artificially. Thus, we had to study thoroughly the feeding habits of crayfish under natural and laboratory conditions. In order to control the processes of metabolism in the organism of A. astacus it is necessary to investigate not only feeding, food sources and the habitat but the microflora of the digestive tract and its activity as well, as all these factors are apparently interconnected. The purpose of this study was to determine the total number of bacteria, the amount of microorganisms of some physiological groups, species composition and physiological-biochemical activity of the microflora of the digestive tract of A. astacus, depending on feeding peculiarities.

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