Distribution of phototrophic bacteria in Omura Bay during the summer with special reference to brownChlorobium

The distribution of phototrophic bacteria was investigated during the summers of 1969 and 1970 in Omura Bay of western Kyushu. Phototrophic sulfur- and nonsulfur-bacteria were distributed numerously in the mud and bottom water. Brown strains usually dominated in number. In water column, other than bottom water, there were usually few or no phototrophic bacteria. On occasion, however, a large number of brown bacteria were found in the middle of water column. Six strains, two each of the purple, green and brown bacterial colonies, were isolated from mud and sea water. The purple and green bacterial strains were identified as belonging to the generaChromatium andChlorobium, respectively. The brown strains could not be identified using Bergey's manual, but were found to be similar to the brownChlorobium described byPfennig. All six strains required sulfide for growth. Heterotrophic tendency was greater for the purple and green strains than for the brown strains. Their growth was enhanced by the addition of thymine. Living cells, taken from enrichment cultures of mud samples from four stations, gave absorption spectra almost identical to the spectrum of brownChlorobium. Thus it appears that during the summer brownChlorobium is the dominant phototrophic bacterial group in Omura Bay.