Condensing lenses and shell microstructure in Corculum (Mollusca: Bivalvia)
1997; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 71; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1017/s0022336000038956
ISSN1937-2337
AutoresJ. G. Carter, Jay A. Schneider,
Tópico(s)Cephalopods and Marine Biology
ResumoThe microstructure of the non-window portions of the shell of Corculum cardissa resembles other Fraginae, with predominantly fibrous prismatic outer, branching crossed lamellar middle, and complex crossed lamellar inner layers. Both the anterior and posterior windows in its shell reflect reduced pigmentation and incursion of the outer shell layer, but the posterior windows involve deeper incursion plus reduction of the outer and middle sublayers of the outer shell layer and microstructural modification of the middle shell layer to enhance light transmission. The planoconvex shape of the posterior windows has more likely evolved to direct and focus light toward the deeper, zooxanthellae-rich gills and anterior mantle, than to merely disperse light.
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