First report of Laternula elliptica in the Antarctic intertidal zone

• 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

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”.