Algae-associated marine molluscs in the Azores

The raolluscan fauna of a special habitat, the high intertidal algal turf, was studied at four stations on the island of Sao Miguel, Azores. The number of species found ranged from 13 to 23. However, a small group of only six species (the bivalve Lasaea adansoni and the gastropods Pisinna punctulum, Omalogyra atomus, Fossarus ambiguus, Skeneopsis planorbis and Alvania postrema) accounted for more than 80% of all the specimens collected. Mollusc density reached values of 20000 specimens per 100 g algal dry weight. The abundance and number of species of molluscs was comparable with those reported for algal zones lower on the Azorean shores.
Wave exposure and seasonality effects were found to be small, presumably because of the relatively mild abiotic conditions and the protective role of the turf. The algal substrata influenced the phytal molluscan community in two ways. First, the abundance of molluscs was significantly correlated with algal dry weight. Secondly, molluscan abundance and diversity were influenced by the algal composition of the turf. A rich algal composition, with several species of branched fleshy and coralline algae, was associated with a rich molluscan fauna. The dominance of coralline algae resulted in a abundant but species-poor fauna, while an almost monospecific turf of Gigartina was poor in both species and number of molluscan fauna.     

Marine molluscs in environmental monitoring

The study reported here is part of an ongoing effort to establish sensitive and reliable biomonitoring markers for probing the coastal marine environment. Here, we report comparative measurements of a range of histological, cellular and sub-cellular parameters in molluscs sampled in polluted and reference sites along the Mediterranean coast of Israel and in the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Available species enabled an examination of conditions in two environmental 'compartments': benthic (Donax trunculus) and intertidal (Brachidontes pharaonis, Patella caerulea) in the Mediterranean; pelagic (Pteria aegyptia) and intertidal (Cellana rota) in the Red Sea. The methodology used provides rapid results by combining specialized fluorescent probes and contact microscopy, by which all parameters are measured in unprocessed animal tissue. The research focused on three interconnected levels. First, antixenobiotic defence mechanisms aimed at keeping hazardous agents outside the cell. Paracellular permeability was 70–100% higher in polluted sites, and membrane pumps (MXRtr and SATOA) activity was up to 65% higher in polluted compared to reference sites. Second, intracellular defence mechanisms that act to minimize potential damage by agents having penetrated the first line of defence. Metallothionein expression and EROD activity were 160–520% higher in polluted sites, and lysosomal functional activity (as measured by neutral red accumulation) was 25–50% lower. Third, damage caused by agents not sufficiently eliminated by the above mechanisms (e.g. single-stranded DNA breaks, chromosome damage and other pathological alterations). At this level, the most striking differences were observed in the rate of micronuclei formation and DNA breaks (up to 150% and 400% higher in polluted sites, respectively). The different mollusc species used feature very similar trends between polluted and reference sites in all measured parameters. Concentrating on relatively basic levels of biological organization—the molecular and cellular level—the parameters measured may have the capacity not only for biomonitoring environmental quality, but also for early warning.Communicated by H. von Westernhagen, A. Diamant     

NADPH-diaphorase activity in the digestive system of gastropod molluscs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Achatina fulica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Littorina littorea</Emphasis>

Distribution and morphological peculiarities of nitroxidergic elements throughout the entire length of digestive tract was studied for the first time in gastropod molluscs Littorina littorea (Prosobranchia) and Achatina fulica (Pulmonata) using histochemical detection of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd). NO-ergic cells and fibers were revealed in all parts of the mollusc digestive system beginning from esophagus. Intensive NADPHd activity is found in a great number of intraepithelial cells of the open type and their processes in the intraand subepithelial nerve plexuses, subepithelial neurons, granular connective tissue cells, and multiple nervous fibers distributed among muscular elements of digestive tract as well as those in nerves innervating the tract. NADPHd was also revealed in receptor cells in the oral area and in the A. fulica CNS ganglia innervating the digestive tract. A. fulica has a more complicated organization of A. fulica nitroxidergic system of the digestive tract. A system of glomerular structures formed by thin NADPHd-positive neural fibers coming from epithelium is found directly beneath the epithelium in esophagus, stomach, and midgut of the mollusc. More superficially under the main groups of muscular elements there are revealed small clusters of NADPHd-positive neurons that can be classified as primitive, non-structured microganglia. The distribution pattern and a possible functional role of nitroxidergic elements in digestive tract of molluscs as compared with other invertebrate and vertebrate animals are discussed.     

Vertical zonation of coral reef fishes in the Sudanese Red Sea

The vertical zonation of 38 species of fish inhabiting coral reefs in the Sudanese Red Sea is described. A marked degree of vertical zonation of the fishes is shown to exist. The usefulness of a depth oriented survey method for studying reef fish is discussed in relation to these results.General relationships between vertical zonation and species diversity are noted.     

Structure of visual pathways in the nervous system of freshwater pulmonate molluscs

Central nervous system of freshwater pulmonate molluscs Lymnaea stagnalis and Planorbarius corneus was stained using retrograde transport of neurobiotin in the optic tract fibers. In both species, perikarya and fibers of the stained neurons are found in all ganglia except the buccal ones. Afferent fibers of the optic nerve form dense sensory neuropil located in relatively small volume of cerebral ganglia. Typical neuronal groups sending their processes into the optic nerves of ipsilateral and contralateral body halves are described. Among them, neurons of visceral and parietal ganglia innervating both eyes concurrently as well as sending projections into peripheral nerves are revealed. These neurons, supposedly, have a function to integrate sensory signals, which may be a basis for regulation of light sensitivity of retina and functioning of peripheral organs. Bilateral links of the molluscan eye with the pedal ganglia cells and statocysts are found, which is, likely, a structural basis of certain known behavioral patterns related to stimulation of visual inputs in the studied gastropod molluscs.     

Distribution of molluscs in Layari River (Sindh), Pakistan

Between January 1982 and December 1985, 65 species of Mollusca were collected from the Layari River, an ephemeral stream that bisects Karachi. Gastropods were dominant followed by bivalves. The upstream region is hypersaline and devoid of molluscs; the stretch within Karachi is heavily polluted and almost no living molluscs occur here.     

Marine molluscs and fish as biomarkers of pollution stress in littoral regions of the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and North Sea

The intensive development of industry and urban structures along the seashores of the world, as well as the immense increase in marine transportation and other activities, has resulted in the deposition of thousands of new chemicals and organic compounds, endangering the existence of organisms and ecosystems. The conventional single biomarker methods used in ecological assessment studies cannot provide an adequate base for environmental health assessment, management and sustainability planning. The present study uses a set of novel biochemical, physiological, cytogenetic and morphological methods to characterize the state of health of selected molluscs and fish along the shores of the German North Sea, as well as the Israeli Mediterranean and Red Sea. The methods include measurement of activity of multixenobiotic resistance-mediated transporter (MXRtr) and the system of active transport of organic anions (SATOA) as indicators of antixenobiotic defence; glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as an indicator of biotransformation of xenobiotics; DNA unwinding as a marker of genotoxicity; micronucleus test for clastogenicity; levels of phagocytosis for immunotoxicity; cholinesterase (ChE) activity and level of catecholamines as indicators of neurotoxicity; permeability of external epithelia to anionic hydrophilic probe, intralysosomal accumulation of cationic amphiphilic probe and activity of non-specific esterases as indicators of cell/tissue viability. Complete histopathological examination was used for diagnostics of environmental pathology. The obtained data show that the activity of the defensive pumps, MXRtr and SATOA in the studied organisms was significantly higher in the surface epithelia of molluscs from a polluted site than that of the same species from control, unpolluted stations, providing clear evidence of response to stress. Enhanced frequency of DNA lesions (alkaline and acidic DNA unwinding) and micronucleus-containing cells was significantly higher in samples from polluted sites in comparison to those from the clean sites that exhibited genotoxic and clastogenic activity of the pollutants. In all the studied molluscs a negative correlation was found between the MXRtr levels of activity and the frequency of micronucleus-containing hemocytes. The expression of this was in accordance with the level of pollution. The complete histopathological examination demonstrates significantly higher frequencies of pathological alterations in organs of animals from polluted sites. A strong negative correlation was found between the frequency of these alterations and MXRtr activity in the same specimens. In addition to these parameters, a decrease in the viability was noted in molluscs from the polluted sites, but ChE activities remained similar at most sites. The methods applied in our study unmasked numerous early cryptic responses and negative alterations of health in populations of marine biota sampled from the polluted sites. This demonstrates that genotoxic, clastogenic and pathogenic xenobiotics are present and act in the studied sites and this knowledge can provide a reliable base for consideration for sustainable development. Received: 2 March 1999 / Received in revised form: 2 August 1999 / Accepted: 3 August 1999     

On the functions of the pore cells in the connective tissue of terrestrial pulmonate molluscs

Summary The fine structure of the pore cells in connective tissue in the kidney of Achatina achatina and the skin of the slug Arion hortensis is described and evidence is presented which shows that these cells, in the latter species, are involved in the synthesis of the respiratory blood pigment, haemocyanin. The involvement of these cells in phagocytosis of colloidal particles was demonstrated following introduction of ferritin and colloidal gold into the blood. The extracellular coat which surrounds the cells is permeable to ferritin, but is impermeable to colloidal gold. Following penetration of the extracellular coat the ferritin enters the sub-surface cisternae and is taken into the cells where it crystallises within membrane-bound vesicles.     

The demonstration of speciation in fossil molluscs and living fishes

Contrary to a recent assertion, freshwater (and marine) prosobranch gastropods and freshwater bivalves are subject to considerable variability. This, and the lack of a detailed understanding of the taxonomy of the forms involved, makes it difficult to accept that the changes documented by Williamson (1981) in a fossil sequence from Lake Turkana (Africa) represent speciation events. That 10 lineages, involving gastropods and bivalves, should change simultaneously, and the deviant forms should then simultaneously become extinct, can, we believe, be more plausibly attributed to ecophenotypic responses to environmental changes than to speciation. In revealing the pattern and process of evolution, both fossil and living forms are helpful, but in demonstrating the fine-scale events during and after speciation in living animals one can utilize techniques and observations that cannot be applied to fossil material. African cichlid fishes are particularly informative in this respect. Their current explosive radiation can be interpreted as a punctuational event in evolution.     

Environmental contaminants influencing immunefunction in marine bivalve molluscs

The increased observation of pollution induced disease conditions in marine organisms has led to a growing interest on the effects of environmental contaminants on the immune system. Most studies on modulation of the immune system in bivalves by pollutants have concentrated on the effects of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The current literature on contaminant effects on specific components of the bivalve immune system is reviewed together with the effects on susceptibility to infection. Data are presented showing the effects on immune parameters of exposure to Vibrio tubiashi following pre-exposure to copper or cadmium. Mussels exposed to cadmium for 7 days followed by 7 days exposure to V. tubiashi demonstrated significantly higher numbers of circulating haemocytes compared with non-Vibrio-exposed groups. Similar experiments conducted with copper exposure for both 7 days and 7 weeks followed by V. tubiashi for 7 days demonstrated a significant decrease in the percentage of circulating eosinophils compared with basophilic cells for both short and long term exposures. The intracellular release of superoxide (NBT reduction) by haemocytes was stimulated in Vibrio-challenged mussels with no copper pre-exposure but was significantly reduced in mussels pre-exposed to 0·2 ppm of copper for 7 weeks. The mortalities for the copper experiments showed increased levels with increasing copper concentration and were consistently higher in the V. tubiashi challenged mussels which had also been exposed to copper.     

Effect of habitat and motor activity of molluscs on fatty acid composition of triglycerides and phospholipids

A comparative analysis of fatty acids (FA) in neutral lipids and phospholipids of digestive gland and pedal muscle has been performed in molluscs from various ecological groups differing by belonging to sea or fresh water, trophic types or the associated motor activity. In freshwater pulmonary gastropods Lymnaea stagnalis and Lymnaea ovalis and marine prosobranchial molluscs Buccinum undatum and Littorina littorea the total content of ω3-acids in phospholipids of the studied tissues differed more than twice, predominantly due to the combined effect of temperature and salinity of the habitat. The lower viscosity of cell membranes in marine species (ω3/ω6 < 1) is determined to the greatest degree by the presence of eicosapentaenoic acid that accounts for 22–25% of the FA sum in marine species. Comparison of the molluscs by their trophic belonging has revealed the presence of linoleic acid in triglycerides in digestive glands of phytophages (8–12%), but the practically complete absence of this acid in the predator B. undulatum (< 0.8%). By mobility, L. littorea inhabiting the high-low tide littoral was inferior to freshwater pulmonary gastropods and to the marine predator, as it stops moving twice a day during the low tide. In phospholipids of pedal muscle of this mollusc the amount of long-chain polyunsaturated C: 22 FA was 3–6 times lower than that in other studied species, which might possibly indicate the role of these acids in functioning of the pedal muscle contractile tissue. On the whole, use of the FA characteristics as the parameters determining belonging to certain ecological group requires a certain caution due to a complex action of biotic and abiotic factors on the animal metabolism. The exception is the ω3/ω6 ratio in total phospholipids of fresh water and marine gastropods.