First report of Laternula elliptica in the Antarctic intertidal zone

• Main Authors: Waller, Catherine L., Overall, Andrew, Fitzcharles, Elaine M., Griffiths, Huw
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Verlag (Germany) 2016
• Subjects: C000 Biological and Biomedical Sciences; C350 Marine zoology; F710 Marine sciences; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Ross Island; St. Martha Cove; The Antarctic; Antarc*; James Ross Island; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://eprints.brighton.ac.uk/16705/; http://eprints.brighton.ac.uk/16705/1/Polar%20Biology.pdf

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 bivalveLaternula ellipticais often used as a model taxon to test these theories. Here, we report the first instanceL. ellipticafrom an intertidal site. Genetic analysis of the tissue confirms the species identity. A total of seven animals ranging in length from 6 to 85mm were collected from 3×0.25m2quadrats 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”.