Filtration and respiration of the deep living bivalve Acesta excavata

(J.C. Fabricius, 1779) (Bivalvia; Limidae)

Objective: To measure the clearance and respiration rate of A. excavata and to relate these physiological rates to gill area, dry weight, and shell length

Acesta excavata (Pteriomorphia: Limidae)

Suspension feeders living at 200-800m

below sea level

Highly modified gills
Creation of current

Capture of food
Greater O2 uptake from the water

Amount of H2O pumped

energy expenditure
Oxygen uptake metabolic rate

Methodology
Acesta excavata
Collected in November 2000 and October 2001 At Roberg in Trondheimfjord, Norway between 200 and 530m

depth using triangular dredge

Calipers: shell height, length, thickness Tank: Flowing water from 130m depth at temp. of 7.7-8.4C Dry weight: weight of soft tissues after drying for 24hrs at

105C

Clearance Rate
Control 1 2 1. Specimens Random: 100-140cm shell height Kept in containers at a flow rate of 1.6L/min at 8C Fed once or twice a week with algae

3. Clearance Rate: Closed system (8C) Collection: duplicate every 5 mins until concentration fell below 1000 cells/ml Concentration readjusted and collection repeated

2. Set up: a) well-oxygenated seawater with oceanic salinity b) a magnetic stirrer c) a small dose of alga - one bivalve in each 5 aquaria

CR = (V/t)ln(C0/Ct)

Respiration Rate
2. Bivalves: Attached with Velcro to walls of 2.81 desiccators One animal was placed in each chamber (same quality of chamber as clearance set-up) 3. Measurement: Sea water supply was replaced with BOD oxygen measuring probe Decline in oxygen tension under constant condition was measured during the following 60mins with reading taken every 5mins 1. Respiration rate: After filtration: 16 same individuals Constant air temp (8C) 4. After experiment: Water volume in each unit was measured to determine exact volume for calculation Control for correct bacterial respiration, electrode drift, etc. Respiration rate: last 50mins of measurement were used, ensuring undisturbed bivalves

Gill Area
2. Unintact demibranch Spread in a Petri dish filled with sea water Image capture of inner, right demibranch

1. Bivalves: Sedated for a min. of 12hrs using 7% MgCl2 Removed intact demibranchs Measure gill area

3. Gill Area: Calculated in Scion Image Software v.1.62c Average of 3 measurements of each demibranch was multiplied by 8 to estimate total gill area

Clearance Rate

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Effect of different explanatory variables on variation in clearance rate of Acesta excavata from the Trondheimsfjord in Norway
Explanatory variable Shell height (mm)

n
26

a ( 1 s.e.) 0.355 (1.585) 13.356 (4.209)

b ( 1 s.e.) 0.899 (0.938) 0.483 (0.219)

F
0.92

p
0.348

R2
0.04

Dry weight (g)

23

4.89

0.038

0.19

*Clearance rate was significantly correlated with dry weight but not with shell height.

Respiration Rate

Results and Discussion

Table 2. Effect of different explanatory variables on variation in respiration rate of Acesta excavata from the Trondheimsfjord in Norway
Explanatory variable
Shell height (mm) Dry weight (g) n 19 16

a ( 1 s.e.)
0.0001 (0.0007) 13.356 (4.209)

b ( 1 s.e.)
1.743 (1.329) 0.884 (0.204)

F 1.72 18.75

p 0.209 0.001

R2 0.09 0.57

*Respiration rate was significantly correlated with dry weight but not with shell height.

Results and Discussion

Gill Area

Table 3. Effect of different explanatory variables on variation in gill area of Acesta excavata from the Trondheimsfjord in Norway
Explanatory variable
Shell height (mm) Dry weight (g) n 20 19

a ( 1 s.e.)
1.468 (3.520) 7063 (1286)

b ( 1 s.e.)
1.940 (0.505) 0505 (0.126)

F 14.74 16.12

P 0.001 0.001

R2 0.45 0.49

*Gill area was significantly correlated with both shell height and dry weight.

 Clearance rate increased

significantly with increasing gill area.

Clearance rate was

significantly correlated with gill area, but clearance rate per mm2 is independent of animal dry weight.

 Respiration rate

increased significantly with increasing gill area.

Acesta excavata
High clearance rate
Low respiration rate Large gill area

Lies at extremes of all three variables measured

Values represent adaptations to the sparse food availability in the

deep sea rather than adaptations to depth per se.

Acesta excavata
Not a specialized deep-water phenomenon and several

other tropical bivalves also have developed large gills to gain sufficient energy.

Respiration rate
Dependent on several factors such as temperature

Low respiration rate value

Due to low and stable temperature at which A. excavata lives.