Respiratory responses of excised gills of the stout razor clam, Tagelus plebeius solander, to acute temperature changes throughout the year

Abstract

1. 1. The exponent ( b) relating metabolic rate to dry weight in excised gills of Tagelus plebeius is not maintained constant throughout the seasons or upon acute exposure to temperatures of 9–34°C. 2. 2. Acclimation (11–29°C) and test (9–34°C) temperatures have a significant effect (α = 0.01) on the mean rate of oxygen uptake by the gills. 3. 3. Positive seasonal thermal acclimation is observed up to acclimation temperatures of 19.5–20°C, which is also the temperature of minimum respiratory response to all acute test temperatures. 4. 4. Regions of thermal metabolic insensitivity are seen over small acute temperature ranges near the acclimation temperatures.