The vanadium and selected metal contents of some ascidians.

Abstract

The vanadium and other selected metal contents of primarily California ascidians have been determined. The species Ascidia ceratodes and Perophora annectens have large vanadium contents as has been predicted for members of the families Ascidiidae and Perophoridae from the order Phlebobranchia. Several species in the order Aplousobranchia have large vanadium contents: the vanadium being present as vanadium (IV) whereas it is vanadium (III) that is found in the order Phlebobranchia. Molgula manhattensis, a species from the order Stolidobranchia, shows a large iron content: the metal being localized in the fluid from the heart.Three dominant fractions were chromatographed from the cells contained in the fluid of Ascidia ceratodes. The roles of the compounds present in these fractions are discussed. The spectra of these fractions are correlated with the spectrum of the cells.