Abstract
Two species of bivalve molluscs, Mercenaria mercenaria Linné and Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, were maintained in an identical laboratory environment and fed the same diet for 1 month prior to measuring the quantity of ammonia which they excreted per gram dry weight. Data derived from juveniles and adults of these species were fitted to a log-log equation. M. mercenaria excreted more ammonia per gram body weight than C. virginica, and considerably more scatter is evident in the fit of the data from M. mercenaria to the log-log relationship. Experiments showed that neither temperature fluctuation during the experiments nor decomposition of organic nitrogen in the test water account for the scatter of points. Behavioral differences between the two species of organisms may explain these differences.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Literature Cited
Allen, K.: Amino acids in Molluscs. Am. Zool. 1, 253–261 (1961)
— and J. Awapara: Metabolism of sulfur amino acids in Mytilus edulis and Rangia cuneata. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 118, 173–182 (1960)
Bayne, B.: Physiological changes in Mytilus edulis induced by temperature and nutritive stress. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 53, 39–58 (1973)
Campbell, J.W.: Nitrogen excretion. In: Comparative animal physiology, Chapter 7. pp 279–306. Ed. by C. Ladd Prosser, Philadelphia, Pa.: W. Saunders Co. 1973
Duerr, F.: Excretion of ammonia and urea in seven species of marine prosobranch snails. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 26, 1051–1089 (1968)
Emerson, D.: Influence of salinity on ammonia excretion rates and tissue constituents of euryhaline invertebrates. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 29, 1115–1133 (1969)
Emerson, D. and C. Mootz: Growth of oysters in a recirculating maricultural system. Proc. natn. Shellfish. Ass. (In press)
Epifanio, C., G. Pruder, M. Hartman and R. Srna: An interdisciplinary study of the feasibility of recirculating systems in mariculture. Proc. Wld Maricult. Soc. 4, 37–52 (1974)
— and R.F. Srna: Toxicity of ammonia, nitrite ion, nitrate ion, and orthophosphate to Mercenaria mercenaria and Crassostrea virginica. Mar. Biol. 33, 241–246 (1975)
Feng, S., E. Khairallah and W. Canzonier: Haemolymph free amino acids and related nitrogenous compounds of Crassostrea virginica infected with Bucephalus sp. and Minichinia nelsoni. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 34, 547–556 (1970)
Florkin, M. and S. Bricteux-Gregoire: Nitrogen metabolism in molluscs. In: Chemical zoology, Chapter 10. pp 319–345. Ed. by M. Florkin and B. Scheer. New York: Academic Press 1972
Hammen, C.S.: Aminotransferase activities and amino acid excretion of bivalve mollusks and brachiopods. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 26, 697–705 (1968)
—, H.F. Miller and W.H. Geer: Nitrogen excretion of Crassostrea virginica. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 17, 1199–1200 (1966)
Jeffries, H.: A stress syndrome in the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. J. Invertebr. Path. 20, 242–251 (1972)
Johannes, R.: Phosphorous excretion and body size in marine animals: microzooplankton and nutrient regeneration. Science, N.Y. 146, 923–924 (1964)
Newell, G.E.: Physiological aspects of the ecology of intertidal molluscs. In: Physiology of Mollusca, Vol. 1. pp 59–75. Ed. by K.M. Wilbur and C.M. Yonge. New York: Academic Press 1964
Nicol, J.: The biology of marine animals, 699 pp. New York: Wiley Interscience 1960
Potts, W.T.: Excretion in the molluscs. Biol. Rev. 42, 1–41 (1967)
Schoffeniels, E. and R. Gilles: Ionoregulation and osmoregulation. In: Chemical zoology, Vol. 7. Champter 12. pp 393–420. New York: Academic Press 1972
Srna, R., C. Epifanio, G. Pruder, M. Hartman and A.S. Baggaley: The use of ion specific electrodes for chemical monitoring of marine systems. Part I. The ammonia electrode as a sensitive water quality indicator probe for recirculating mariculture systems. University of Delaware Sea Grant Publication Del. SG-14-73, 20 pp. (1973). (Internal publication)
Stephens, G. and R. Schinske: Uptake of amino acids by marine invertebrates. Limnol. Oceanogr. 6, 175–181 (1961)
Strickland, J.D.H. and T.R. Parsons: A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 167, 1–311 (1968)
Widdows, J. and B. Bayne: Temperature acclimation of Mytilus edulis with reference to its energy budget. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 51, 827–843 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by M.R. Tripp, Newark
This work is the result of research sponsored by NOAA Office of Sea Grant, Department of Commerce, under Grant No. 04-3-158-30.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sma, R.F., Baggaley, A. Rate of excretion of ammonia by the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria and the American oyster Crassostrea virginica . Mar. Biol. 36, 251–258 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389286
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389286