Aeromonas hydrophila causes 'black disease' in fairy shrimps (Anostraca: Crustacea)

A total of 51 bacterial strains were isolated from fairy shrimps [Branchipus schnefferi (Fisher), Chirocephalus diaphanus (Prevost) and Streptocephalus torvicornis (Waga)] showing signs of 'black disease'. The fairy shrimps showed black nodules on the thoracic appendages, the cercopods, the antennae and sometimes at the back of the head. The infection sires on the thoracic appendages were restricted to the proximal parts of the endopodite, the exopodite and endite I. In order to check Koch's postulates, pure bacterial cultures were administered to healthy fairy shrimps. One bacterial pathogen was identified as Aeromonas hydrophila using BIOLOG and the genotypic fingerprinting technique AFLP.