Isolation and characterization of chitin-degrading micro-organisms from the faeces of Goeldi's monkey, Callimico goeldii

This study reports on the isolation of chitin-degrading microflora from nonhuman primates. Considering that chitin and cellulose are the most abundant naturally occurring polymers, it is of interest to note that the majority of isolates are capable of digesting both substrates. This may be of significance given that omnivorous primates live in seasonal environments, where the availability of food items varies with the seasons. Furthermore, given the presence of a chitin-degrading microflora, this may have implications, in terms of the inclusion of fungi and/or insects in the diets of these animals in captivity, whether as part of medical research or conservation programmes.