Composition and Diversity of Gut Bacteria Associated with the Eri Silk Moth, , (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) as Revealed by Culture-Dependent and Metagenomics Analysis.

The polyphagous eri silk moth, , is associated with various symbiotic gut bacteria believed to provide several benefits to the host. The larvae of were subjected to isolation of gut bacteria using culture-dependent 16S rRNA generic characterization, metagenomics analysis and qualitative enzymatic assays. Sixty culturable aerobic gut bacterial isolates comprising Firmicutes (54%) and Proteobacteria (46%); and twelve culturable facultative anaerobic bacteria comprising Proteobacteria (92%) and Firmicutes (8%) were identified inhabiting the gut of .