Particle sorting in bivalves : in vivo determination of the pallial organs of selection

Benthic particle feeders are exposed to a food supply varying in both quantity and quality. Previous studies have shown that bivalve molluscs deal with such fluctuating particle regimes in a variety of ways, including adjustments in pumping and ingestion rates, and selective rejection of non-nutriti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine biology 1998-05, Vol.131 (2), p.283-292
Main Authors: WARD, J. E, LEVINTON, J. S, SHUMWAY, S. E, CUCCI, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Aquatic plants
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Crassostrea gigas
Crassostrea virginica
Food
Food supply
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Ingestion
Marine
Marine biology
Mollusks
Mytilus edulis
Mytilus trossulus
Oysters
Particulate matter
Phytoplankton
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Spartina alterniflora
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Summary:Benthic particle feeders are exposed to a food supply varying in both quantity and quality. Previous studies have shown that bivalve molluscs deal with such fluctuating particle regimes in a variety of ways, including adjustments in pumping and ingestion rates, and selective rejection of non-nutritive particles as pseudofeces. The actual site of particle selection within the pallial cavity, however, has remained a topic of speculation. During August 1995 and January and August 1996, we exposed the oysters Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin) and C. gigas (Thunberg), and the mussel Mytilus trossulus Gould to a mixture of ground, aged Spartina alterniflora Loisel and similar-sized phytoplankton at three concentrations (103, 104, 105 particles ml-1). We then examined the ctenidia and labial palps by means of endoscopy and sampled, in vivo, the particulate material from various ciliated tracts, and analyzed the samples with a flow cytometer. We found that in oysters, the ctenidia are responsible for particle sorting, whereas the labial palps play an accessory role in particle selection, or function to control the volume of material to be ingested. In mussels, however, the ctenidia play little role in particle selection and simply transport particulate matter to the palps for further processing. We suggest that selection by the ctenidia of oysters is a function of their architecture (plicate, heterorhabdic).
ISSN:0025-3162
1432-1793
DOI:10.1007/s002270050321