Gastropod Crepidula Fornicata Research Articles

Body mass index does not decline during winter for the sedentary marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata.

Seasonal extremes in environmental conditions can substantially limit the growth and reproduction of animals. Sedentary marine animals are particularly susceptible to winter food limitation since they cannot relocate to more favourable conditions. In several temperate-zone bivalve species, substantial winter tissue mass declines have been documented; however, no comparable studies have been conducted on intertidal gastropods. Here, we investigate whether the suspension-feeding intertidal gastropod Crepidula fornicata also loses substantial tissue mass during the winter. We calculated body mass index (BMI) for individuals collected in New England at different times of year for 7 years to determine whether BMI declines through winter or varies seasonally. Remarkably, C. fornicata body mass did not decline significantly during winter months; indeed, a relatively poorer body condition was associated with higher seawater temperature, higher air temperature and higher chlorophyll concentration. In a laboratory experiment, we found that C. fornicata adults that were not fed for three weeks at 6°C (local winter seawater temperature) showed no detectable declines in BMI compared to field-collected individuals. Future studies should document energy budgets of C. fornicata and other sedentary marine animals at low winter seawater temperatures, and the impact of short-term elevated temperatures on those energy budgets.

Invasive slipper limpets Crepidula fornicata are hosts for sterilizing digenean parasites.

Invasion and spread of alien species can drive ecosystem changes, such as, the dynamics of infectious diseases. The non-native, marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata has become established across European coastlines over the last century, but there remains little insight into its disease carrying capacity and potential role as a source/sink of parasites. To address this knowledge gap, we surveyed limpets from two sites in South Wales, UK for signatures of disease/pathology using polymerase chain reaction-based methods (haemolymph) and histology (solid tissue). We encountered trematode-like parasites in ~1% individuals (5 out of 462). Three limpets displayed gross damage in the gonad, i.e. castration, and encysted metacercariae were found in the muscle of two other individuals. On the basis of 28S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer 2 genomic targets, we identified the gonad-infecting trematodes as members of the family Microphallidae – putative novel species related to the genus Longiductotrema. Earlier reports suggest that C. fornicata is not a host for trematode parasites in either its native or alien range but may act as a sink due to its filter feeding lifestyle. We provide clear evidence that C. fornicata is parasitized by at least one trematode species at two sites in Wales, UK, and likely act as a spillback or accidental host among native littorinids.

Responding to the signal and the noise: behavior of planktonic gastropod larvae in turbulence.

Swimming organisms may actively adjust their behavior in response to the flow around them. Ocean flows are typically turbulent and are therefore characterized by chaotic velocity fluctuations. While some studies have observed planktonic larvae altering their behavior in response to turbulence, it is not always clear whether a plankter is responding to an individual turbulence fluctuation or to the time-averaged flow. To distinguish between these two paradigms, we conducted laboratory experiments with larvae in turbulence. We observed veliger larvae of the gastropod Crepidula fornicata in a jet-stirred turbulence tank while simultaneously measuring two components of the fluid and larval velocity. Larvae were studied at two different stages of development, early and late, and their behavior was analyzed in response to different characteristics of turbulence: acceleration, dissipation and vorticity. Our analysis considered the effects of both the time-averaged flow and the instantaneous flow, around the larvae. Overall, we found that both stages of larvae increased their upward swimming speeds in response to increasing turbulence. However, we found that the early-stage larvae tended to respond to the time-averaged flow, whereas the late-stage larvae tended to respond to the instantaneous flow around them. These observations indicate that larvae can integrate flow information over time and that their behavioral responses to turbulence can depend on both their present and past flow environments.

Influence of Crepidula fornicata on suspended particle dynamics in coastal systems: a mesocosm experimental study

In coastal environments, strong feedback can exist between benthic fauna and sediment dynamics. Benthic populations can modify sediment dynamics through biofiltration and bioturbation, while hydro- and sediment dynamics directly determine local environmental conditions for benthic organisms. However, these complex feedbacks are difficult to study in situ. Here, we carried out mesocosm experiments to characterize the effects of a benthic species (the gastropod Crepidula fornicata) on mud dynamics under hydrodynamic conditions representative of their natural habitat. Different experimental tests related to the inclusion (or not) of dead or live crepidula reveal that biofiltration can increase particle settling up to 40%. Flocculation, which is strengthened by organic matter enrichment in shell beds, also substantially increases particle settling. Thus, both processes enhance sedimentation above live crepidula habitats. Furthermore, these experiments highlight serious technical, physical and biological challenges that have to be tackled for properly investigating bio-physical interactions.

Impact of short-term elevated temperature stress on winter-acclimated individuals of the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata

The intertidal zone is an especially stressful thermal habitat, typically exposing residents to air temperatures for up to 6 h at a time, twice daily. Tolerance to elevated temperatures has been particularly well-studied for a variety of intertidal species, especially with regard to upper thermal limits during summers. However, in recent years, as climates have been changing around the world, temperate zone intertidal organisms have sometimes been exposed to periods of unusually high air temperatures during the winter. The present study sought to examine the impact of elevated temperatures on survival and clearance rates of winter-acclimated intertidal individuals of the sedentary marine suspension-feeding gastropod Crepidula fornicata. Individuals were collected intertidally from Nahant, Massachusetts from late January to early April each year for 5 years, maintained in the laboratory at the acclimation temperature of 6 °C, and exposed in the laboratory for 3 h to temperatures as high as 37 °C in seawater either once or twice, 24 h apart. Although mean clearance rates were substantially reduced for at least the next 12–24 h after individuals were returned to the 6 °C control condition following exposures to elevated temperatures as low as 21–26 °C, we saw little mortality even following two 3 h exposures to 35 °C, or single exposures to 37 °C. Mortality was substantial, however, in one experiment following a double exposure to 37 °C. Smaller individuals (~5–12 mm in shell length) were somewhat more sensitive to the thermal stress than adults were. Intertidal members of C. fornicata in Massachusetts seem well-prepared to deal with the increasing range of winter air temperatures associated with the global climate confusion predicted for future years. Additional studies will be required to understand the physiological and biochemical mechanisms used by winter-acclimated individuals of this species to tolerate such periodic substantial temperature increases of 29–31 °C.

BMP signaling plays a role in anterior-neural/head development, but not organizer activity, in the gastropod Crepidula fornicata

BMP signaling is involved in many aspects of metazoan development, with two of the most conserved functions being to pattern the dorsal-ventral axis and to specify neural versus epidermal fates. An active area of research within developmental biology asks how BMP signaling was modified over evolution to build disparate body plans. Animals belonging to the superclade Spiralia/Lophotrochozoa are excellent experimental subjects for studying the evolution of BMP signaling because a highly conserved, stereotyped early cleavage program precedes the emergence of distinct body plans. In this study we examine the role of BMP signaling in one representative, the slipper snail Crepidula fornicata. We find that mRNAs encoding BMP pathway components (including the BMP ligand decapentaplegic, and BMP antagonists chordin and noggin-like proteins) are not asymmetrically localized along the dorsal-ventral axis in the early embryo, as they are in other species. Furthermore, when BMP signaling is perturbed by adding ectopic recombinant BMP4 protein, or by treating embryos with the selective Activin receptor-like kinase-2 (ALK-2) inhibitor Dorsomorphin Homolog 1 (DMH1), we observe no obvious effects on dorsal-ventral patterning within the posterior (post-trochal) region of the embryo. Instead, we see effects on head development and the balance between neural and epidermal fates specifically within the anterior, pre-trochal tissue derived from the 1q1 lineage. Our experiments define a window of BMP signaling sensitivity that ends at approximately 44-48​hours post fertilization, which occurs well after organizer activity has ended and after the dorsal-ventral axis has been determined. When embryos were exposed to BMP4 protein during this window, we observed morphogenetic defects leading to the separation of the anterior, 1q lineage from the rest of the embryo. The 1q-derived organoid remained largely undifferentiated and was radialized, while the post-trochal portion of the embryo developed relatively normally and exhibited clear signs of dorsal-ventral patterning. When embryos were exposed to DMH1 during the same time interval, we observed defects in the head, including protrusion of the apical plate, enlarged cerebral ganglia and ectopic ocelli, but otherwise the larvae appeared normal. No defects in shell development were noted following DMH1 treatments. The varied roles of BMP signaling in the development of several other spiralians have recently been examined. We discuss our results in this context, and highlight the diversity of developmental mechanisms within spiral-cleaving animals.

Impact of ocean acidification on growth, onset of competence, and perception of cues for metamorphosis in larvae of the slippershell snail, Crepidula fornicata

Ocean pH has been declining since the start of the Industrial Revolution, and is predicted to continue declining for at least another 200 years. Although the chemical cues that induce larval metamorphosis in marine invertebrates in part determine the distribution and persistence of many coastal marine communities, few studies have examined the effects of ocean acidification on the timing of metamorphic competence or the ability of larval invertebrates to metamorphose in response to environmental cues. Working with larvae of the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata, we examined the impacts of sudden, short-term (2 h), and prolonged (several weeks) exposure to reduced pH as low as 7.5 on larval survival and growth, the onset of metamorphic competence, and the ability of larvae to perceive inductive cues and metamorphose in their presence. Unexpectedly, although larvae reared at pH 7.5 grew more slowly and took longer to become competent to metamorphose, exposure to acidified conditions did not appreciably impair larval cue perception for metamorphosis.

Legacy of Multiple Stressors: Responses of Gastropod Larvae and Juveniles to Ocean Acidification and Nutrition.

Ocean acidification poses a significant threat to calcifying invertebrates by negatively influencing shell deposition and growth. An organism's performance under ocean acidification is not determined by the susceptibility of one single life-history stage, nor is it solely controlled by the direct physical consequences of ocean acidification. Shell development by one life-history stage is sometimes a function of the pH or pCO2 levels experienced during earlier developmental stages. Furthermore, environmental factors such as access to nutrition can buffer organismal responses of calcifying invertebrates to ocean acidification, or they can function as a co-occurring stressor when access is low. We reared larvae and juveniles of the planktotrophic marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata through combined treatments of nutritional stress and low pH, and we monitored how multiple stressors endured during the larval stage affected juvenile performance. Shell growth responded non-linearly to decreasing pH, significantly declining between pH 7.6 and pH 7.5 in larvae and juveniles. Larval rearing at pH 7.5 reduced juvenile growth as a carryover effect. Larval rearing at pH 7.6 reduced subsequent juvenile growth despite the absence of a negative impact on larval growth, demonstrating a latent effect. Low larval pH magnified the impact of larval nutritional stress on competence for metamorphosis and increased carryover effects of larval nutrition on juvenile growth. Trans-life-cycle effects of larval nutrition were thus modulated by larval exposure to ocean acidification.

The dark side of soft tissues: Unexpected inorganic carbonate in the invasive slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata and its implications for stable isotope interpretations.

Stable isotopic analysis is extensively used in trophic ecology. Inorganic carbonates, usually originating from shell fragments, are routinely removed from samples using an acid treatment because they affect δ13 C values. However, acid treatment can also change δ15 N values. For some taxa such as molluscs, the general assumption is that acid pre-treatment is not necessary since their shell is easily dissected from soft tissues and represents the only source of inorganic carbonates. However, other sources of non-dietary carbon (e.g., intracellular inorganic carbon) enriched in13 C thus get overlooked. Soft tissues (foot) of the invasive gastropod Crepidula fornicata of different size classes were analysed for their δ13 C and δ15 N values with and without acid pre-treatment using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. In toto microscopic investigations coupled with acid treatment, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy were used to highlight the presence of inorganic carbonate. A correction model was derived and applied to existing stable isotope data for C. fornicata. We used both seasonal variations in δ13 C signatures and mixing model outputs to assess the error in δ13 C values. Acid pre-treatment had a significant effect on the stable isotope compositions of C. fornicata foot tissue, especially on δ13 C values: isotopic differences increased with size, up to 3‰ for large females. No effect was detected for small (below ~20 mm) and motile males. In toto microscopic analysis revealed the presence of small spherules of inorganic carbonate, hence explaining the differences in δ13 C values. Mixing model outputs and seasonal variation of δ13 C values showed that untreated samples can lead to large misinterpretations about diet proportions and degree of trophic niche overlap, respectively. Spherules of inorganic carbonate in C. fornicata soft tissues are likely to be linked with the motility of this species and their mucus production. We recommend assessing the presence of inorganic carbonate in soft tissue of sessile gastropods.

Modelling benthic invasion by the colonial gastropod Crepidula fornicata and its competition with the bivalve Pecten maximus. 2. Coupling the 0D model of colony-forming species to a connectivity matrix for a realistic distributed simulation of benthic invasion

The anthropogenic introduction in U.K. waters of the north-American marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata (Linné, 1758), commonly called slipper limpet, and its consecutive spreading has led in less than a century to the invasion of a part of benthic grounds along the North-European coasts. Competition for space has hampered the maintenance of the native scallop Pecten maximus, whereas dredge clogging has drastically limited scallop fishing, especially in the Western English Channel. In order to assess the possible future distribution and abundance of both species (Crepidula and Pecten), an original model of slipper limpet chains joined to a simple year-class model of the scallop (Ménesguen and Grégoris, 2017) has been coupled to a connectivity matrix summarizing the annual dispersion of emitted larvae in a realistic marine domain. This distributed model can explore the dynamics of both populations at the century scale and has been applied at two different geographical scales: a local one (the bays of Brest and Douarnenez, Western Brittany, France) and a regional one (Bay of Biscay and English Channel). First eigenvectors of the connectivity matrix are used to delineate the main retention areas. For each species taken alone, simulations starting with a few animals in different spots do converge in less than a century towards the same geographic distribution, compatible with the actual field distribution. This suggests that hydrodynamic patterns of larval drift create a strong attractor for these populations; it is reached by different routes of colonization, depending on the initial inoculation. The non-linear interaction created by the lack of space when the populations have filled the benthic area seems to be stronger for scallop populations than for slipper limpets, because of the permanent capacity of Crepidula beds to fix some larvae on the top of existing colonies. Whereas the scallop abundance experiences a rather large limit-cycle, with a dominant 11 years period and a lot of harmonics, the slipper limpet has commonly a stable steady state abundance. Competition between both populations tends to lower the mean scallop abundance and to lengthen and damp its fundamental period of oscillations. Simulated distributions can be locally improved by linking the larval survival to a distributed environmental stressor, as the salinity for scallop or a metallic contamination for the slipper limpet in the case of the bay of Brest.

Modelling benthic invasion by the colonial gastropod Crepidula fornicataand its competition with the bivalve Pecten maximus. 1. A new 0D model for population dynamics of colony-forming species

The north-American marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata (Linné 1758), commonly called slipper limpet, has been introduced accidentally in Great Britain, along with American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) at the end of the 19th century. Its spreading, enhanced by oyster transport and international shipping, turned into invasion of a lot of benthic grounds along the North-European coasts. When local conditions are favorable to larval confinement and adult growth, the invasion by very dense populations may deeply change initially sandy or muddy benthic communities into similar “slipper limpet communities”. Competition for space eliminates several species of native infauna, and hampers the survival of some epibenthic bivalves such as the scallop Pecten maximus. As the clogging of dredges by superabundant slipper limpets drastically limits scallop fishing, some insight in the future distribution and abundance of both species (Crepidula and Pecten) seems necessary, especially in the English Channel where the scallop is intensively harvested. An original model, storing in a “intraspecific matching matrix” the numbers of pairs of aged animals present in the slipper limpet chains, has been developed to take into account the year-class association and stack formation specific to Crepidula fornicata. Then, an “interspecific matching matrix” component has been added to that “intraspecific matching matrix” in order to describe the simple year-class structure of the scallop along with the age distribution of slipper limpets stuck on scallop shells and forming the base of chains. Such a model can explore the dynamics of both populations at a secular time scale. This first part of work details the 0D-behavior of the populations, alone or together, on 1m2 benthic area. As far as the scallop is concerned, the fact that class 1 cannot recruit in dense populations until the death of old animals has freed some place induces a limit-cycle, with a 11 years period, and a large amplitude. On the contrary, in the case of the slipper limpet, because of the constant possibility for class 1 to recruit on the top of existing colonies, even if the bottom coverage is total, the population reaches a stable steady state abundance, without significant oscillations. Competition for space between the two species does not alter significantly the slipper limpet, whereas it lowers the mean abundance and alters (by damping and slowing down) the limit cycle of the scallop.

Morphogenesis along the animal-vegetal axis: fates of primary quartet micromere daughters in the gastropod Crepidula fornicata

BackgroundThe Spiralia are a large, morphologically diverse group of protostomes (e.g. molluscs, annelids, nemerteans) that share a homologous mode of early development called spiral cleavage. One of the most highly-conserved features of spiralian development is the contribution of the primary quartet cells, 1a-1d, to the anterior region of the embryo (including the brain, eyes, and the anterior ciliary band, called the prototroch). Yet, very few studies have analyzed the ultimate fates of primary quartet sub-lineages, or examined the morphogenetic events that take place in the anterior region of the embryo.ResultsThis study focuses on the caenogastropod slipper snail, Crepidula fornicata, a model for molluscan developmental biology. Through direct lineage tracing of primary quartet daughter cells, and examination of these cells during gastrulation and organogenesis stages, we uncovered behaviors never described before in a spiralian. For the first time, we show that the 1a2-1d2 cells do not contribute to the prototroch (as they do in other species) and are ultimately lost before hatching. During gastrulation and anterior-posterior axial elongation stages, these cells cleavage-arrest and spread dramatically, contributing to a thin provisional epidermis on the dorsal side of the embryo. This spreading is coupled with the displacement of the animal pole, and other pretrochal cells, closer to the ventrally-positioned mouth, and the vegetal pole.ConclusionsThis is the first study to document the behavior and fate of primary quartet sub-lineages among molluscs. We speculate that the function of 1a2-1d2 cells (in addition to two cells derived from 1d12, and the 2b lineage) is to serve as a provisional epithelium that allows for anterior displacement of the other progeny of the primary quartet towards the anterior-ventral side of the embryo. These data support a new and novel mechanism for axial bending, distinct from canonical models in which axial bending is suggested to be driven primarily by differential proliferation of posterior dorsal cells. These data suggest also that examining sub-lineages in other spiralians will reveal greater variation than previously assumed.

Unexpected collective larval dispersal but little support for sweepstakes reproductive success in the highly dispersive brooding mollusc Crepidula fornicata.

In many marine invertebrates, long-distance dispersal is achieved during an extended pelagic larval phase. Although such dispersal should result in high gene flow over broad spatial scales, fine-scale genetic structure has often been reported, a pattern attributed to interfamilial variance in reproductive success and limited homogenization during dispersal. To examine this hypothesis, the genetic diversity of dispersing larvae must be compared with the postdispersal stages, that is benthic recruits and adults. Such data remain, however, scarce due to the difficulty to sample and analyse larvae of minute size. Here, we carried out such an investigation using the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata. Field sampling of three to four larval pools was conducted over the reproductive season and repeated over 3years. The genetic composition of larval pools, obtained with 16 microsatellite loci, was compared with that of recruits and adults sampled from the same site and years. In contrast to samples of juveniles and adults, large genetic temporal variations between larval pools produced at different times of the same reproductive season were observed. In addition, full- and half-sibs were detected in early larvae and postdispersal juveniles, pointing to correlated dispersal paths between several pairs of individuals. Inbred larvae were also identified. Such collective larval dispersal was unexpected given the long larval duration of the study species. Our results suggest that each larval pool is produced by a small effective number of reproducers but that, over a reproductive season, the whole larval pool is produced by large numbers of reproducers across space and time.

Benthic studies in upper Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts: 2011/12 as compared to 1955

Precise biodiversity mapping that can be compared over decades would greatly inform the discussion of climate change impacts on species richness and shifts in dominant benthic species. Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA, has a long history of field studies documenting benthic community structure. This bioassessment compares 1955 benthic infaunal sampling results with 2011/2012 samples to determine whether there has been a compositional change. I also compared structural components including grain size and near-bottom temperatures. In addition, benthic temperature rise and fall was logged at 15-min intervals from May to October of consecutive years. There was an observed difference in the benthic compositional structure, substrate and temperature between the 1955 and 2011/2012 station conditions. The 1955 identification of Buzzards Bay as being nutrient poor and having a reported 20.5 °C benthic temperature maximum has changed. Coastal development has brought increased nutrient inputs, and the 2012 bottom temperature maximum was at least 4 °C greater. These conditions contribute to shifts in benthic species dominance, and the substrate itself has been transformed to shell reefs at the stations where the gastropod Crepidula fornicata proliferated.

The seminal receptacle and implications for reproductive processes in the invasive gastropod Crepidula fornicata

The calyptraeid gastropod Crepidula fornicata is the object of considerable research attention, due to its invasive status in the North-Eastern Atlantic, its introduction to habitats throughout the Northern hemisphere, and its scientific interest as a model organism for the study of developmental and reproductive processes in the Metazoa. Since the knowledge concerning the structural foundations for its reproductive processes is surprisingly weak, we investigated the seminal receptacle, a key structure in the reproductive biology of other metazoans, using histology, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. The seminal receptacle consists of 9–11 lobes, each subdivided into small, narrow lobules. The inner epithelium of the lobules appears to be highly dynamic, characterised by the perforation and attachment of received spermatozoa, the progressive degeneration of this epithelium, and the concomitant detachment of the spermatozoa. The allocation of spermatozoa to many different lobules, in different phases, may explain the extended reproductive season of C. fornicata, and thereby contribute to its colonizing and invasive success. The same compartmentalisation, as well as the complete covering of the inner epithelium of the lobules by spermatozoa and the large amount of spermatozoan debris in the lumina, suggest that the C. fornicata seminal receptacle may be a site of sperm competition in this polyandrous species.

The distribution of the invasive non-native gastropod Crepidula fornicata in the Milford Haven Waterway, its northernmost population along the west coast of Britain

The invasive non-native gastropod Crepidula fornicata is well established in the Milford Haven Waterway (MHW) in south-west Wales, UK, since its first introduction to this ria in 1953. Whilst it reaches high densities within the MHW and has extended its range to the south of this ria, there has been very little northward expansion. Here, we report findings of a series of intertidal and subtidal surveys in 2009 and 2010 where we monitored the population density and the vertical distribution of C. fornicata at its northern range limit in Wales (the MHW). We also characterised the composition of the surface substrata of the seabed in the MHW to provide some insight into how the availability of certain settlement substrata may limit its distribution along the west coast of Britain. We found locally very dense aggregations (maximum 2748 ± 3859 individuals m−2, mean ± SD) in the shallow subtidal and low intertidal of the MHW. Subtidally, highest densities were found in areas of high gravel content (grain sizes ~16–256 mm), suggesting that the availability of this substrata type is beneficial for its establishment at a site. In the intertidal, on the other hand, high gravel content was indicative of low C. fornicata abundance, possibly because gravelly shores are an indicator of very exposed conditions that, at least in the intertidal, may result in high levels of early post-settlement mortality and low recruitment. C. fornicata was absent from the entrance of the MHW, possibly due to the lack of suitable settlement substrata. The presence of substantial populations in the MHW suggests that C. fornicata’s population growth and potential expansion in Welsh coastal waters is not fully limited by prevailing environmental conditions in the region, but that other processes may affect its local distribution.

Effects of a patchy food environment across life history stages

Many animals experience periods of feast or famine, which can have major consequences for growth, survival, and reproductive fitness. For animals with complex life histories, the question remains whether a major ontogenetic transition, such as metamorphosis, removes the legacy of early diet variability, or if early stressors persist into later stages. This study examined the effect of constant versus variable food availability and average food concentration during the larval stage on the performance of the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata (L.) before and after metamorphosis. There was no detectable effect of variable food availability on larval growth, energy stores, survival, and metamorphic competence, or juvenile growth rate and survival. Instead, the average amount of food available during the larval period had the greatest impact on larval size and metamorphic competence. Surprisingly, there were no impacts of larval diet on growth or survival during the juvenile stage. Differences that originated during the larval stage were removed post-metamorphosis. These results suggest that some organisms may be resilient to variations in food availability and that not all early life experiences produce legacy effects. Heterogeneous environments, including variable food availability, should favor flexibility in the timing of ontogenetic transitions that allow individuals to be robust in later life stages.

Desiccation tolerance and lifting behavior in Crepidula fornicata (Gastropoda)

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 528:235-243 (2015) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11284 Desiccation tolerance and lifting behavior in Crepidula fornicata (Gastropoda) Casey M. Diederich1,3, Samuel M. Bashevkin1,4, Oscar R. Chaparro2, Jan A. Pechenik1,* 1Biology Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA 2Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile 3Present address: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant College Program, 292 Main Street, E38-300, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 4Present address: Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, 2099 Westside Drive, Bodega Bay, CA 94923-0247, USA *Corresponding author: jan.pechenik@tufts.edu ABSTRACT: Desiccation stress is a major limiting factor for many organisms in the intertidal zone. Sessile mollusks often reduce water loss by isolating themselves from the external environment upon aerial exposure, which can result in other stressful conditions within their sealed mantle cavity. Interestingly, some intertidal animals willfully expose their tissues to the air when emersed (‘gaping,’ ‘mushrooming,’ or ‘lifting’ behavior). This basic behavior—and the desiccation tolerance—of the cosmopolitan gastropod Crepidula fornicata have not been thoroughly investigated. We found that individuals of C. fornicata almost always have their shells lifted off of the substrate when submerged, but that they also perform this lifting behavior periodically when exposed to air. The lifting behavior was costly, however, as air-exposed juveniles that were free to lift lost significantly more water than those that were artificially clamped to the substrate. We found no measurable difference in desiccation tolerance between intertidal and subtidal adults, which all survived aerial exposures of up to 10 h. In contrast, most small juvenile C. fornicata died following only 2 to 6 h of exposure, after losing between 38.5 and 75.5% of their tissue water. Because juveniles lost water so quickly, desiccation stress may be an important limiting factor for C. fornicata, unless juveniles can move to wet areas when exposed to air until they are large enough to withstand longer periods of aerial exposure. KEY WORDS: Desiccation · Lifting behavior · Gaping · Intertidal · Crepidula Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Diederich CM, Bashevkin SM, Chaparro OR, Pechenik JA (2015) Desiccation tolerance and lifting behavior in Crepidula fornicata (Gastropoda). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 528:235-243. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11284 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 528. Online publication date: May 28, 2015 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2015 Inter-Research.

The interactive influence of temperature and salinity on larval and juvenile growth in the gastropod Crepidula fornicata (L.)

Sea surface temperatures have been rising and are predicted to continue rising in coming years because of global warming. In addition, salinity has been decreasing in high latitudes and is expected to continue decreasing due to altered precipitation patterns and glacial melting caused by climate change. Many marine organisms that are adapted to the present conditions may be drastically affected by these oceanic changes. Early life stages (larvae and juveniles) should be especially susceptible, since they do not yet have the fully developed morphological defenses of adults. This study investigated the effects of reduced salinity (20 compared to a control of 30) and altered temperature (15, 20, 25, and 29°C) on the growth, percent inorganic content (representing shell calcification), and feeding rates of larvae and juveniles of the widespread coastal snail Crepidula fornicata. Both larval and juvenile growth rates were significantly depressed at low salinity and lower temperatures. In addition, the salinity that snails were exposed to as larvae significantly impacted their juvenile growth rates in 4 out of 6 treatments, an example of latent effects. The magnitude and direction of this effect were strongly impacted by temperature and parentage. Juvenile feeding rates were significantly depressed following a rapid change in salinity but then gradually recovered to near initial levels over 3h. There was little difference in the percent inorganic content of juveniles but for larvae that had been reared at 20°C, percent inorganic content was 27% lower for those reared at a salinity of 20 compared with those reared at 30. In conclusion, the early life stages of C. fornicata may experience more favorable conditions in a warmer future: growth rates will increase, probably making larvae and juveniles less vulnerable to size-specific predation. Conversely, in regions where salinity is decreasing, C. fornicata larvae and juveniles will likely grow more slowly, thereby increasing predation risk by forcing them to spend more time at more vulnerable smaller sizes. Thus, the future of C. fornicata and their potential to continue invading new habitats will depend greatly on the specific salinity and temperature conditions they will be exposed to throughout larval and juvenile development.

Does Encapsulation Protect Embryos from the Effects of Ocean Acidification? The Example of Crepidula fornicata

Early life history stages of marine organisms are generally thought to be more sensitive to environmental stress than adults. Although most marine invertebrates are broadcast spawners, some species are brooders and/or protect their embryos in egg or capsules. Brooding and encapsulation strategies are typically assumed to confer greater safety and protection to embryos, although little is known about the physico-chemical conditions within egg capsules. In the context of ocean acidification, the protective role of encapsulation remains to be investigated. To address this issue, we conducted experiments on the gastropod Crepidula fornicata. This species broods its embryos within capsules located under the female and veliger larvae are released directly into the water column. C. fornicata adults were reared at the current level of CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) (390 μatm) and at elevated levels (750 and 1400 μatm) before and after fertilization and until larval release, such that larval development occurred entirely at a given pCO2. The pCO2 effects on shell morphology, the frequency of abnormalities and mineralization level were investigated on released larvae. Shell length decreased by 6% and shell surface area by 11% at elevated pCO2 (1400 μatm). The percentage of abnormalities was 1.5- to 4-fold higher at 750 μatm and 1400 μatm pCO2, respectively, than at 390 μatm. The intensity of birefringence, used as a proxy for the mineralization level of the larval shell, also decreased with increasing pCO2. These negative results are likely explained by increased intracapsular acidosis due to elevated pCO2 in extracapsular seawater. The encapsulation of C. fornicata embryos did not protect them against the deleterious effects of a predicted pCO2 increase. Nevertheless, C. fornicata larvae seemed less affected than other mollusk species. Further studies are needed to identify the critical points of the life cycle in this species in light of future ocean acidification.