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THE COMPOSITION OF PHOSPHATE GRANULES IN THE DIGESTIVE GLANDS OF MARINE PROSOBRANCH GASTROPODS: VARIATION IN RELATION TO TAXONOMY

1998; Oxford University Press; Volume: 64; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/mollus/64.4.423

1464-3766

Peter Gibbs, J. A. Nott, Artemis Nicolaidou, M. J. BEBJANNO,

Ichthyology and Marine Biology

The composition of some 1150 phosphate granules in the digestive glands of over 40 species of marine prosobranch gastropods has been surveyed using a simple preparation technique and semi-quantitative SEM x-ray microanalysis. Spectral peaks for Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe and Zn were compared to that of P. Four major types of phosphate granule can be recognised, each generally characteristic of a taxonomic grouping: high Mg in archaeogastropods and littorinids, multiple metal in higher mesogastropods, and, in neogastropods, Mg-Ca in muricoideans and high Zn in buccinoideans. At least one Conus species (C. ventricosus) has high-Mg granules. Some causes of variation in granule composition are discussed: speculatively, it is suggested a palaeoenvironmental influence seems possible.