Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation
Baleen whales have a multichambered stomach divided into three distinct compartments. The forestomach (first compartment) consists of noncornified and nonglandular tissue and appears to be analogous to the tissue of the rumen. The exact function of the forestomach is unknown; however, we have detect...
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Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
1984
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 |
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crasmicro:10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 2024-06-23T07:51:31+00:00 Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation Herwig, R P Staley, J T Nerini, M K Braham, H W 1984 http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 en eng American Society for Microbiology https://journals.asm.org/non-commercial-tdm-license Applied and Environmental Microbiology volume 47, issue 2, page 421-423 ISSN 0099-2240 1098-5336 journal-article 1984 crasmicro https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 2024-06-10T04:07:18Z Baleen whales have a multichambered stomach divided into three distinct compartments. The forestomach (first compartment) consists of noncornified and nonglandular tissue and appears to be analogous to the tissue of the rumen. The exact function of the forestomach is unknown; however, we have detected volatile fatty acids in forestomach samples from seven bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) and four gray (Escherichtius robustus) whales. Acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were found in all samples. Seven whale samples also contained valeric, isobutyric, isovaleric, and isocaproic acids. Bacterial counts in 10 of the samples ranged from 5 X 10(8) to 630 X 10(8)/ml of fluid. The types, concentrations, and relative proportions of volatile fatty acids, the presence of significant levels of bacteria, and the morphology of the digestive tract support the hypothesis that a microbial forestomach fermentation occurs in these two species of baleen whales. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaena mysticetus baleen whales ASM Journals (American Society for Microbiology) Applied and Environmental Microbiology 47 2 421 423 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
ASM Journals (American Society for Microbiology) |
op_collection_id |
crasmicro |
language |
English |
description |
Baleen whales have a multichambered stomach divided into three distinct compartments. The forestomach (first compartment) consists of noncornified and nonglandular tissue and appears to be analogous to the tissue of the rumen. The exact function of the forestomach is unknown; however, we have detected volatile fatty acids in forestomach samples from seven bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) and four gray (Escherichtius robustus) whales. Acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were found in all samples. Seven whale samples also contained valeric, isobutyric, isovaleric, and isocaproic acids. Bacterial counts in 10 of the samples ranged from 5 X 10(8) to 630 X 10(8)/ml of fluid. The types, concentrations, and relative proportions of volatile fatty acids, the presence of significant levels of bacteria, and the morphology of the digestive tract support the hypothesis that a microbial forestomach fermentation occurs in these two species of baleen whales. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Herwig, R P Staley, J T Nerini, M K Braham, H W |
spellingShingle |
Herwig, R P Staley, J T Nerini, M K Braham, H W Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
author_facet |
Herwig, R P Staley, J T Nerini, M K Braham, H W |
author_sort |
Herwig, R P |
title |
Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
title_short |
Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
title_full |
Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
title_fullStr |
Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
title_sort |
baleen whales: preliminary evidence for forestomach microbial fermentation |
publisher |
American Society for Microbiology |
publishDate |
1984 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 |
genre |
Balaena mysticetus baleen whales |
genre_facet |
Balaena mysticetus baleen whales |
op_source |
Applied and Environmental Microbiology volume 47, issue 2, page 421-423 ISSN 0099-2240 1098-5336 |
op_rights |
https://journals.asm.org/non-commercial-tdm-license |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.47.2.421-423.1984 |
container_title |
Applied and Environmental Microbiology |
container_volume |
47 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
421 |
op_container_end_page |
423 |
_version_ |
1802642621814800384 |