A tale of two clams: differing chemosynthetic life styles among vesicomyds in Monterey Bay cold seeps
Barry, J.P.; Kochevar, R.E. (1998). A tale of two clams: differing chemosynthetic life styles among vesicomyds in Monterey Bay cold seeps. Cah. Biol. Mar. 39(3-4): 329-331. https://dx.doi.org/10.21411/CBM.A.247A877E
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723; e-ISSN 2262-3094, more
Also appears in:(1998). Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Biology: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 20-24 October 1997. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 39(3-4). Station Biologique de Roscoff: Roscoff. 219-392 pp., more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Barry, J.P.
- Kochevar, R.E.
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| Abstract |
Vesicomyid clams are a dominant or common component of the megafauna inhabiting most cold seep and hydrothermal vent communities. The species composition of vesicomyids can vary considerably both between and within seep sites. As many as five vesicomyid species inhabit individual fluid seeps in Monterey Bay, but their relative abundance varies greatly between seep locations (Barry et al., 1995, 1997). Species dominance among seep locations is related to the average sulphide concentration of interstitial fluids among sites. The distribution of vesicomyids within individual seeps is stratified along a sulphide gradient from the centre to the margins of seeps. Species that are apparently sulphide tolerant such as Calyptogena kilmeri dominate sites with high sulphide levels and are present in central portions of low sulphide seeps. In contrast, Calyptogena pacifica is the principal species inhabiting low sulphide seeps and the margins of high sulphide seeps. In this paper, we investigate aspects of the physiology of Calyptogena pacifica and C. kilmeri that influence their habitat distribution, including results of growth rate studies that suggest potential metabolic constraints imposed by differences in sulphide physiology. |
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