A while back, we were discussing spelling bee words, and one that was discussed was gnotobiotic, a word that the orthographologists missed. of troy pointed out in that discussion that they should have figured it out had they remembered 'gnome'--or so she said in fewer words than I've mentioned here. Dr. Bill gave us the definition which included the information that these laboratory animals--the gnotobiotic specimens--are those of which all the internal microflora and -fauna are known.

And this has caused me to wonder: Do we? Do we, indeed, know ALL the microflora and -fauna in certain animals? Are we still finding new and astonishing types--or is this one world, at least, that is closed to new species identification?

Just wondering.

Do we, indeed, know ALL the microflora and -fauna in certain animals?

I would seriously doubt it. I would even doubt if we could ever know *if we know all the microflora and -fauna in *any animals.