First report of Laternula elliptica in the Antarctic intertidal zone

Many Antarctic marine invertebrates are considered to be highly stenothermal, subjected to loss of functionality at increased temperatures and so at high risk of mortality in a rapidly warming environment. The bivalve Laternula elliptica is often used as a model taxon to test these theories. Here, w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Waller, Catherine L., Overall, Andy, Fitzcharles, Elaine, Griffiths, Huw
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer 2017
Subjects:
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
Ross Island
St. Martha Cove
Antarc*
James Ross Island
Polar Biology
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513422/
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513422/1/Waller.pdf
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-016-1941-y
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Summary:Many Antarctic marine invertebrates are considered to be highly stenothermal, subjected to loss of functionality at increased temperatures and so at high risk of mortality in a rapidly warming environment. The bivalve Laternula elliptica is often used as a model taxon to test these theories. Here, we report the first instance L. elliptica from an intertidal site. Genetic analysis of the tissue confirms the species identity. A total of seven animals ranging in length from 6 to 85 mm were collected from 3 × 0.25 m2 quadrats of intertidal sediments at St Martha Cove on James Ross Island, Eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Ambient temperatures of 7.5 °C within the sediment and 10 °C (air) were recorded. This raises questions as to the current perception that “many Antarctic marine invertebrates cannot adapt to higher temperatures”.

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