Βacterial flora isolated from the oesophageal bulb of the olive fruit fly Dacus oleae (Gmelin)

Abstract

In a study of the bacterial flora occurring in the adults of the olive fruit fly, Dacus oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae), oesophageal diverticulum, a total of 28 strains were obtained. Six of them were Gram – negative and identified as Pseudomonas niendocina, Morarella nonliquefasciens (2), Alcaligenes sp., Enterobacter cloacae (2) and 22 Gram-positive classified as Kurthia sp., Staphylococcus subgroup VI, Micrococcus roseus, Bacillus pumilus, B. licheniformis (3) and B. subtilis(15). None of the above bacteria are strictly fixed and constantly present in the oesophageal diverticulum, suggesting that the bacterial flora associated with D. oleae depends on environmental factors, and could be used as a nutrient source for the insect apart from its possible other symbiotic role.