Energetics and life histories of three ascoglossan opisthobranchs, Ascobulla ulla, Oxynoe azuropunctata, and Elysia subornata
Nutritional and life-history parameters were compared for Ascobulla ulla, Oxynoe azuropunctata Jensen, 1980, and Elysia subornata Verrill, 1901. These ascoglossans display differences in morphology, nutrition, habitat preferences, behavior, developmental characteristics, and reproductive parameters. Although the retention of functional plastids and autotrophic carbon fixation was restricted to Elysia subornata, all three species heterotrophically fixed carbon in laboratory experiments. In addition, Ascobulla ulla, Oxynoe azuropunctata, and E. subornata were shown to absorb and incorporate {sup 14}C-labelled dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) when incubated in seawater containing a mixture of amino acids. Ascoglossans are characterized as stenophagous polytrophs. This polytrophic nutritional strategy may provide trophic flexibility to ascoglossans that live in tropical marine nutrient-limited habitats and feed on highly calcified, siphonalean algae that display seasonal variability in nutritional quality and contain varying levels of toxic secondary metabolites. A model for polytrophic nutritional strategies in ascoglossans is proposed. The transepidermal uptake of DFAA has not been previously reported in ascoglossans and must be considered, along with kleptoplasty, in future studies of ascoglossan energy acquisition and partitioning.
- Research Organization:
- Florida Inst. of Tech., Melbourne, FL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5600326
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AMINO ACIDS
METABOLISM
MOLLUSCS
LIFE CYCLE
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
GENETIC VARIABILITY
HABITAT
METABOLITES
MORPHOLOGY
NUTRITION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEAWATER
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
VARIATIONS
WATER
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques
550801 - Morphology- Tracer Techniques