The degradation mode of lignocellulose by anaerobic ruminal cellulolytic bacterium Ruminococcus albus F-40 was investigated. Birchwood holocellulose and filter paper were incubated as the sole carbohydrate sources with using the Hungate techniques. After 2 or 4 days of incubation, samples were employed for chemical and electron microscopic evaluations. The degradation rate of cellulosic substrates and the adhesion rate of bacteria to the substrates increased proportionally with the decrease of relative crystallinity of cellulose, indicating the preferential breakdown of amorphous cellulose, by this bacterium. X-ray diffraction analyses and polarized light microscopy showed, however, that crystalline cellulose was also degraded by R. albus. FT-IR spectra indicated that not only cellulose but hemicellulose was also degraded by this bacterium. Electron microscopic investigations showed the protuberant structures on the surface of R. albus. These structures were much more significant when bacterial cells were grown in the media containing insoluble substrates, such as cellulose, indicating clearly that bacterial protuberant structures were induced by the substrates. Protuberant structures extended from the bacterial cells adhered tightly to the substrates and numerous vesicles covered the surface of cellulosic substrates affected. Cellulosome-like structures were distributed on the cellulose matrix. Electron microscopic works showed that diverse surface organells of R. albus were involved in the degradation of cellulosic materials. SEM examinations showed the breakdown of cellulose by R. albus was proceeded by severeal routes : short fiber formation, defibrillation and destrafication of cellulose microfibril.