Abstract

Differences in phosphate metabolism of symbiotic and aposymbiotic Condylactus suggest that the host animal makes available quantities of phosphate to support growth of zooxanthellae. Nitrite may serve as a nitrogen source for symbionts as indicated by host removal of nitrite from sea water. The presence of zooxanthellae is responsible for removal of phosphate from sea water in the dark whereas there is excretion during light periods. There is a greater uptake of nitrite from sea water in the light compared with the dark in symbiotic animals. Since nitrate is removed from sea water by aposymbiotic animals, the presence of nitrate reducing bacteria is proposed.

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