Turbatrix aceti
Species of roundworm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Turbatrix aceti (vinegar eels, vinegar nematode, Anguillula aceti) are free-living nematodes that feed on a microbial culture called mother of vinegar (used to create vinegar) and may be found in unfiltered vinegar. They were discovered by Pierre Borel in 1656.[1]
| Vinegar eels | |
|---|---|
_041_Verdorbener_Essig_mit_Essigälen.png) | |
| Illustration of vinegar eels | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nematoda |
| Class: | Chromadorea |
| Order: | Rhabditida |
| Family: | Panagrolaimidae |
| Genus: | Turbatrix |
| Species: | T. aceti |
| Binomial name | |
| Turbatrix aceti (Müller, 1783) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
They are exceptionally tolerant of variation in acidity and alkalinity and they may be able to tolerate a wider range than any other species, being able to survive from pH 1.6 to 11.[2]
Vinegar eels are often given to fry (baby fish) as a live food, like microworms.[1][3] Although they are harmless and non-parasitic, leaving eels in vinegar is considered objectionable (for example, in the United States they are not permitted in vinegar destined for American consumers).[4] Manufacturers normally filter and pasteurize their product prior to bottling, destroying the live bacterial and yeast culture that these nematodes require for sustenance.
At high concentration near a boundary, vinegar eels synchronize their undulations, forming a collective wave.[5][6]
Aging in T. aceti is associated with a decline in the ability to repair DNA damage,[7][8] a finding that is consistent with the theory that DNA damage contributes to aging.[9]
