Characterisation of Vibrio and Related Bacteria Associated with Shrimp Penaeus monodon Larvae in Indonesia

To study Vibrio-like bacteria associated with P. monodon larvae, samples were taken from backyard hatcheries in Jepara, Indonesia, during the dry and rainy seasons (July and December, respectively) of 1995. Bacterial identification of the isolates was performed using BIOLOG and FAME fingerprints. Dominant bacterial strains were identified as V. alginolyticus, V. damsela, and V. harveyi, while some of the non-Vibrio species were identified as Brevundimonas-like bacteria. Vibrio species were found at different larval stages, during both the dry and rainy seasons and in both diseased and healthy larvae. The study supported the idea that Vibrio species are part of the residential microflora in P. monodon larvae and that the growth of V. alginolyticus and V. harveyi is promoted by water quality conditions during the rainy season.