First Report of the BacteriumThioplocain the Benguela Ecosystem off Namibia

Abstract
Thioplocaare sulphur oxidizing-nitrate reducing gliding filamentous benthic bacteria belonging to the Beggiatoaceae. In this paper we report on the discovery ofThioplocaresulting from a commercial fishery survey ofTrachurus capensis(horse mackerel) andMerluccius capensis(hake) carried out off Namibia between 18°00·1′S and 25°00·8′S from 4–10 December 1996, on board the RV ‘Welwitschia’. The first positive finding of sheathed, presumably vacuolated,Thioplocain the Benguela Current ecosystem is now reported.