Bacterial Preference in C.Elegans and C.Inopinata

Abstract

Behavioral change frequently accompanies ecological divergence. This study observed C. elegans and C. inopinatus behavior. It is already common knowledge that C. elegans are found in rotting plants all over the world whereas the C. inopinata are only found in Japan. The basis of this experiment was to observe what kind of bacteria each nematode prefers. This was done by taking the two different nematodes, placing them in the middle of a petri dish separately. Two different types of bacteria would be placed on the left and right side which then allowed for observation of the behavior. Raw data was collected by counting the amount of nematodes on both left and right sides. Results showed that although bacteria was preferred over no bacteria, the two nematode species did not show any differences in their preferences even though C. elegans N2 is lab adapted and C. inopinata is not. This work sets the stage for future studies aimed at understanding the genetic basis of interspecific interactions and behavioral divergence.