Document of bibliographic reference 359921

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Anatomy and behavior of Laternula elliptica, a keystone species of the Antarctic benthos (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata: Laternulidae)

Abstract

Laternula elliptica (P. P. King, 1832) is the sole representative of the anomalodesmatan family Laternulidae and the largest bivalve in the Antarctic and Subantarctic. A keystone species of the regional benthic communities, it has reached model status, having been studied in hundreds of scientific works across many biological disciplines. In contrast, its anatomy has remained poorly known, with prior published data limited to partial descriptions based on chemically preserved specimens. Based on observations of aquarium-maintained living animals at the Brazilian Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station, gross-morphological dissections, and histological sectioning, the comparative anatomy, functional morphology, and aspects of behavior of L. elliptica are described and discussed. Special focus is placed on the pallial organs (including elucidation of cleansing and feeding sorting mechanisms in the mantle cavity) and the musculature. Among the noteworthy findings are the presence of well-developed siphons furnished with sensory tentacles at its tips, some of which bearing eyes; large, folded gills and labial palps capable of sorting the material entering the mantle cavity; an inter-chamber communication in the posterior region of the mantle cavity; an ample ventral mantle fusion with an anterior pedal gape; the absence of a 4^th pallial opening; and the absence of a ligamental lithodesma in adult specimens. This study reevaluates the available anatomical data in the literature, both supplementing and correcting previously published accounts.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000892585700001

Bibliographic citation

Passos, F.D.; Sartori, A.F.; Domaneschi, O.; Bieler, R. (2022). Anatomy and behavior of Laternula elliptica, a keystone species of the Antarctic benthos (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata: Laternulidae). PeerJ 10: e14380. https://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14380

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true