Abstract
ABSTRACT We studied the diversity and abundance of keratinolytic bacteria hosted by the plumage of Spectacled Thrushes (Turdus nudigenis), and their capacities to break down feathers in vitro. From 40 individuals sampled in Venezuela during the rainy and dry seasons, we isolated 18 bacterial isolates able to grow on feather meal agar, a medium selective of bacteria capable of extracting energy and nitrogen from feather keratin. Fourteen of these isolates were not previously known to grow on feather keratin. Bacillus cereus was the most prevalent, isolated from 85% of all individuals. Percentage of birds colonized by keratinolytic bacteria, prevalence of the most common bacteria, average number of bacteria species harbored per bird, and average abundance per bird of the most prevalent bacteria were not dependent on season. Capacity to degrade feathers in liquid culture varied extensively among bacterial isolates; four of them were able to noticeably damage feathers, but only B. cereus totally disintegrated...
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