Littorina Littorea Research Articles

Ionising radiation effect on the luminescence emission of inorganic and biogenic calcium carbonates

As known, the luminescence emission of mineral phases could be potentially employed for dosimetric purposes in the case of radiological terrorism or radiation accident where conventional monitoring is not available. In this sense, this paper reports on the thermo- (TL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) emission of both biogenic (common periwinkle – littorina littorera – shell made of calcite 90% and aragonite 10%) and inorganic (aragonite 100%) Ca-rich carbonates previously characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Whereas the aragonite sample displays the main CL waveband peaked in the red region (linked to point defects), the more intense emission obtained from the common periwinkle shell appears at higher energies (mainly associated with structural defects). The UV-blue TL emission of the samples, regardless of the origin, displays (i) an acceptable ionizing radiation sensitivity, (ii) linear dose response in the range of interest (up to 8Gy), (iii) reasonable stability of the TL signal after 700h of storage with an initial decay of ca. 88% for the mineral sample and 60% for the biogenic sample and maintaining the stability from 150h onwards. (iv) The tests of thermal stability of the TL emission performed in the range of 180–320°C confirm a continuum in the trap system.

Heavy metals? No problem for this snail.

Biochemistry![Figure][1] The common periwinkle uses metallothioneins to cope with environmental heavy metals. CREDIT: ANDREY NEKRASOV/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Snails and slugs can accumulate and detoxify heavy metals with the help of metallothioneins, small sulphur-rich proteins that can bind ions

Structural Adaptation of a Protein to Increased Metal Stress: NMR Structure of a Marine Snail Metallothionein with an Additional Domain.

In this study, we present an NMR structure of the metallothionein (MT) from the snail Littorina littorea (LlMT) in complex with Cd2+ . LlMT is capable of binding 9 Zn2+ or 9 Cd2+ ions. Sequence alignments with other snail MTs revealed that the protein is likely composed of three domains. The study revealed that the protein is divided into three individual domains, each of which folds into a single well-defined three-metal cluster. The central α2 and C-terminal β domains are positioned with a unique relative orientation. Two variants with longer and shorter linkers were investigated, which revealed that specific interdomain contacts only occurred with the wild-type linker. Moreover, a domain-swap mutant in which the highly similar α1 and α2 domains were exchanged was structurally almost identical. It is suggested that the expression of a three-domain MT confers an evolutionary advantage on Littorina littorea in terms of coping with Cd2+ stress and adverse environmental conditions.

Moving beyond linear food chains: trait-mediated indirect interactions in a rocky intertidal food web.

In simple, linear food chains, top predators can have positive indirect effects on basal resources by causing changes in the traits (e.g. behaviour, feeding rates) of intermediate consumers. Although less is known about trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) in more complex food webs, it has been suggested that such complexity dampens trophic cascades. We examined TMIIs between a predatory crab (Carcinus maenas) and two ecologically important basal resources, fucoid algae (Ascophyllum nodosum) and barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides), which are consumed by herbivorous (Littorina littorea) and carnivorous (Nucella lapillus) snails, respectively. Because crab predation risk suppresses snail feeding rates, we hypothesized that crabs would also shape direct and indirect interactions among the multiple consumers and resources. We found that the magnitude of TMIIs between the crab and each resource depended on the suite of intermediate consumers present in the food web. Carnivorous snails (Nucella) transmitted TMIIs between crabs and barnacles. However, crab-algae TMIIs were transmitted by both herbivorous (Littorina) and carnivorous (Nucella) snails, and these TMIIs were additive. By causing Nucella to consume fewer barnacles, crab predation risk allowed fucoids that had settled on or between barnacles to remain in the community. Hence, positive interactions between barnacles and algae caused crab-algae TMIIs to be strongest when both consumers were present. Studies of TMIIs in more realistic, reticulate food webs will be necessary for a more complete understanding of how predation risk shapes community dynamics.

Differential toxic effects of Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) on the herbivorous gastropods, Littorina littorea and L.obtusata (Mollusca).

Members of the genus Ulva are widespread and abundant in intertidal and shallow subtidal areas but there are conflicting data regarding susceptibility to herbivory. While some studies have documented that Ulva spp. were favored by a diversity of marine herbivores, other work has revealed herbivore deterrence. We investigated grazing and growth rates of the littorinid species, Littorina littorea and L.obtusata, when offered Fucus vesiculosus, Ascophyllum nodosum, Ulva lactuca, and Chondrus crispus, highlighting distinctive vulnerabilities to toxic effects of U.lactuca. Ulvalactuca was the preferred food of L.littorea, while L.obtusata showed no grazing on this ephemeral algal species. In contrast, F.vesiculosus was highly preferred by L.obtusata. Although L.littorea demonstrated a grazing preference for U.lactuca, growth rate of this gastropod species was nearly 3× greater when fed F.vesiculosus, suggesting a non-lethal, negative effect of U.lactuca on L.littorea with long-term exposure. Mortality of L.obtusata ranged from 0% to 100% when held in the presence of various Ulva densities for 1week, and Ulva exudate depressed herbivory of this gastropod. We conclude that the water-soluble, toxic exudate produced by U.lactuca in response to herbivory had allelochemical properties, and may contain a cleavage product (acrylic acid) of dimethylsulfoniopropionate or reactive oxygen species (i.e., H2 O2 ). Observed differences in susceptibility to Ulva toxicity by the littorinid species may be related to generalist versus specialist feeding and habitat strategies.

Regional adaptation defines sensitivity to future ocean acidification

Physiological responses to temperature are known to be a major determinant of species distributions and can dictate the sensitivity of populations to global warming. In contrast, little is known about how other major global change drivers, such as ocean acidification (OA), will shape species distributions in the future. Here, by integrating population genetics with experimental data for growth and mineralization, physiology and metabolomics, we demonstrate that the sensitivity of populations of the gastropod Littorina littorea to future OA is shaped by regional adaptation. Individuals from populations towards the edges of the natural latitudinal range in the Northeast Atlantic exhibit greater shell dissolution and the inability to upregulate their metabolism when exposed to low pH, thus appearing most sensitive to low seawater pH. Our results suggest that future levels of OA could mediate temperature-driven shifts in species distributions, thereby influencing future biogeography and the functioning of marine ecosystems.

Diversity and distribution of mobile genetic elements in marine invertebrates genomes

Mobile genetic elements (MGE) play an important role in genome structure and gene expression changes. All types of MGE are subdivided to two classes – retrotransposons and DNA-transposons. MGE were found in genomes of all main taxa of marine invertebrates and are represented by both classes. MGEs were found in genomes of Cnidaria species: Aurelia aurita, Acropora millepora, A. palmata, A. digitifera, Nematostella vectensis. MGE were studied in two flatworms (Platyhelminthes) species - Stylochus zebra and Bdelloura candida. In Annelida taxa, MGE were studied for Capitella capitata species. Echinodermata were represented in the review study by species Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, S. franciscanus, S. drobachiensis, Tripneustes gratilla, Lytechinus pictus, L. variegatus, Arbacia punctulata, and Eucidaris tribuloides. A quantity of MGE in Mollusca was studied for following species: Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chione cancellata, Crassostrea gigas, C. virginica, Anadara trapezia, Aplysia californica, Gibbula cineraria, Littorina littorea, and L. saxatilis. The type of Arthropoda is the most studied for MGE presence. MGE presence was studied for following Arthropoda species: Bythograea thermydron, Ventiella sulfuris, Maia brachydactila, Cancer pagurus, Pachygrapsus marmoratus, Penaeus monodon, P. vannamei, Litopenaeus stylirostris, Agononida laurentae, Galathea squamifera, Munida acantha, M. thoe, M. gregaria, M. zebra, Munidopsis recta, Eumunida annulosa, E. sternomaculata, and Rimicaris exoculata. A part of Chordata taxon, which is not included in Vertebrata subtupe, was studied too. This part was represented in the review by species Ciona intestinalis, Oikopleura dioica, and Branchiostoma floridae. A diversity of MGEs and their characters and its role in ontogenesis, in evolution and in changes of functions of genes and genomes were discussed.

Diversité des territoires d’origine des parures en coquillage mésolithiques de la grotte Rochefort (Saint-Pierre-sur-Erve, Mayenne)

Marine shells were constantly used as ornaments by the Mesolithic populations of Europe. The resumption of excavations in Grotte Rochefort (Saint-Pierre-sur-Erve, Mayenne, France) helps complete the existing corpus. The scientific interest of these ornaments is also underlined by the distance of the site from the sea, over 150 km at the time of its occupation. A series of 39 shells was discovered in Grotte Rochefort alongside other ornaments made from animal and human teeth, animal bone remains and lithic artefacts. The stratigraphic data and the geo-archaeological context of the cave allow us to attribute these shell ornaments to the Mesolithic. A basic description of these ornaments is proposed : specific determination, taphonomic analysis and description of their perforation and use-wear stigmata. Our objectives include explaining the reasons for the presence of these shells in the occupation layers of Grotte Rochefort, discovering if these shells were perforated in the cave itself, finding if they were worn, defining acquisition methods of the raw material, and situating these shell ornaments in the context of the European Mesolithic. Their specific determination (Dentalium sp., Ampullina sp ., Euspira nitida, Littorina littorea, Littorina obtusata, Neritidae (Neritinae) ind., Nucella lapillus, Trivia sp ., Cerithium gr. vulgatum) reveals an important diversity of the potential origins of these artefacts and their acquisition method. Some were collected after being washed ashore on beaches along the Mesolithic Atlantic or Mediterranean coasts, others were found in several fossil deposits. The dichotomy with shells consumed during the Mesolithic underlines a specific mode of acquisition dedicated to this use. In fact, most of the species used as ornaments in Grotte Rochefort were not consumed during the Mesolithic (e. g. Dentalium sp., Littorina obtusata or Trivia sp.), and several indications plead in favour of their collection once dead and already deprived of the animal’s flesh (breaks in prominent parts of the shell such as the siphonal canal or the apex, followed by their regular and uniform polishing, the regular polish of the whole surface, erasing in a uniform manner the ornamentation of the shell). This dichotomy underlines the importance attributed to them by these Mesolithic populations within the symbolic sphere. The fact that these ornaments were merely perforated is probably not innocuous ; thus, they convey the mystery of the oceans or at least the image of a major environment in the lifestyle of these hunter-gatherers totally dependent on wild resources. It was not possible to confirm shaping of these ornaments within Grotte Rochefort. These shells seem to have been extensively worn before being lost on the Mesolithic occupation floor of the cave, as revealed by the break of the shell bridge between the aperture of the shell and the original perforation. The ornaments found in Grotte Rochefort doubtless represent only a tiny proportion of the shell ornaments worn by the people who frequented this cave. Only the smallest components of the Mesolithic shell ornaments seem to appear there. Analysis of the shell ornaments from Grotte Rochefort shows strong similarities with those of the European Mesolithic : the shell ornaments discovered are small in size, the main species determined are Dentalium sp ., Littorina obtusa, their shaping (reducing of tusk-shells, perforation localized on the last whorl of gastropods, perforation moved from the outer lip to offer resistance to the tensions linked to the tie, two perforations of the dorsal area of Trivia), and the way they were worn (deformation of the shape of the perforation associated with the polish around the perforation, levelling of the inner lip). Grotte Rochefort thus represents an additional milestone bearing witness to important exchange networks with multiple influences during the Mesolithic.

Anti-inflammatory activities of extracts from Oliva sp., Patella rustica, and Littorina littorea collected from Ghana’s coastal shorelines

Inflammation is one of the means the human body uses to defend itself in the event of infection, trauma, or exposure to toxic substances and it is closely associated with a number of disease sympto...

You Are What You Eat: Stable Isotopic Evidence Indicates That the Naticid Gastropod Neverita duplicata Is an Omnivore

Species belonging to the family Naticidae (commonly called moon snails) are important infaunal gastropod predators found in soft-bottom marine communities worldwide that traditionally have been thought to prey on other mollusks, giving them the expected trophic position of a predator (trophic position = 3). Realized trophic position estimates of the naticid Neverita duplicata from Long Island Sound, however, range between 2.3 and 2.5, indicating omnivory or an anomalously low nitrogen (N) fractionation factor. To evaluate the likelihood of omnivory, this study presents whole body stable isotopic analysis of nitrogen and carbon from the soft tissues of laboratory-reared and field-collected N. duplicata. Experimental organisms were maintained on a diet of the bivalve prey Mercenaria mercenaria for one year. The median N fractionation factor derived from the experimental moon snails was 3.58 ‰ thus precluding the presence of an atypical fractionation factor (substantially lower than 3.4 ‰). Numerous molluscan taxa were collected from Long Island Sound in order to evaluate the trophic ecology of N. duplicata in the context of a natural food web. Evidence from the carbon (C) signatures of field-collected N. duplicata indicate a reliance on littoral food sources that is inconsistent with a diet of filter-feeding M. mercenaria, even when calculated using the species-specific C fractionation factor derived from the laboratory experiments. Field-collected N. duplicata also show considerable isotopic overlap (N and C) with grazing Littorina littorea. For these reasons, we hypothesize that N. duplicata feeds on some combination of benthic primary producers (most likely macroalgae and/or epiphytic diatoms), carrion, and bivalve/gastropod tissue and discuss the ecological implications of potential naticid omnivory.

Drag has not shaped mantis shrimp weapons

![Figure][1] A male Odontodactylus scyllarus mantis shrimp smashing a common periwinkle. Photo credit. Roy Caldwell. Whether pulverising their victims with a powerful single blow or impaling them with a lethal harpoon, feisty mantis shrimps more than live up to their Australian nickname of

Genomic diversity of cercarial clones of Himasthla elongata (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae) determined with AFLP technique.

The aim of this study was to reveal genomic diversity formed during parthenogenetic reproduction of rediae of the trematode Himasthla elongata in its molluskan host Littorina littorea. We applied amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to determine the genomic diversity of individual cercariae within the clone, that is, the infrapopulation of parthenogenetic progeny in a single molluskan host. The level of genomic diversity of particular cercariae isolates from a single clone, detected with EcoR1/Mse1 AFLP reaction, was significantly lower than the variability of cercariae from different clones. The presence of intraclonal genomic diversity indicates a nonsexual shuffle of alleles during parthenogenesis in the rediae of H. elongata. The obtained polymorphic AFLP fragments were long enough to detect the sequences that may be responsible for clonal genomic variability. Based on this, AFLP can be recommended as a tool for the study of genetic mechanisms of this variability.

Consistency of trematode infection prevalence in host populations across large spatial and temporal scales.

Parasites can impart heavy fitness costs on their hosts. Thus, understanding the spatial and temporal consistency in parasite pressure can elucidate the likeliness of parasites' role as agents of directional selection, as well as revealing variable environmental factors associated with infection risk. We examined spatiotemporal variation in digenetic trematode infection in 18 populations of an intertidal host snail (Littorina littorea) over a 300km range at an 11-yr interval, more than double the generation time of the snail. Despite a complete turnover in the snail host population, the average change in infection prevalence among populations was <1% over the 11-yr span, and all but three populations remained within 5 percentage points. This consistency of prevalence in each population over time suggests remarkable spatiotemporal constancy in parasite delivery vectors in this system, notably gulls that serve as definitive hosts for the parasites. Thus, despite gulls' high mobility, their habitat usage patterns are ostensibly relatively fixed in space. Importantly, this spatiotemporal consistency also implies that sites where parasites are recruitment limited remain so over time, and likewise, that parasite hotspots stay hot.

Karyotype features of trematode Himasthla elongata.

BackgroundTrematodes have a complex life cycle with animal host changes and alternation of parthenogenetic and hermaphrodite generations. The parthenogenetic generation of the worm (rediae) from the first intermediate host Littorina littorea was used for chromosome spreads production. Karyotype description of parasitic flatworm Himasthla elongata Mehlis, 1831 (Digenea: Himasthlidae) based on fluorochrome banding and 18S rDNA mapping.ResultsChromosome spreads were obtained from cercariae embryos and redial tissue suspensions with high pressure squash method.74.4 % of the analysed spreads contained 12 chromosome pairs (2n = 24). Chromosome classification was performed according to the morphometry and nomenclature published. H. elongata spread chromosomes had a rather bead-like structure. Ideograms of DAPI-banded chromosomes contained 130 individual bands. According to flow cytometry data, the H. elongata genome contains 1.25 pg of DNA, so one band contains, on average, 9.4 Mb of DNA. Image bank captures of individual high-resolution DAPI-banded chromosomes were provided. Differential DAPI- and CMA3-staining revealed the chromatin areas that differed in AT- or GC-content. Both dyes stained chromosomes all along but with varying intensities in different areas. FISH revealed that vast majority (95.0 %) of interphase nuclei contained one signal for 18S rDNA. This corresponded to the number of nucleoli per cell detected by observations in vivo. The rDNA signal was observed on one or two homologs of chromosome 10 in 72.2 % of analysed chromosome spreads, therefore chromosome 10 possessed the main rDNA cluster and minor ones on chromosomes 3 and 6, that corresponds with AgNOR results.ConclusionsHimasthla elongata chromosomes variations presented as image bank. Differential chromosome staining with fluorochromes and FISH used for 18S rDNA mapping let us to conclude: (1) Himasthla elongata karyotype is 2n = 24; (2) chromosome number deviates from the previously studied echinostomatids (2n = 14–22); (3). Chromosome 10 possesses the main rDNA cluster with the minor ones existing on chromosomes 3 and 6.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13039-016-0246-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin domain-containing proteins in a dual-species transcriptome of caenogastropoda Littorina littorea and its trematode parasite Himasthla elongata.

The MACPF domain-containing proteins potentially able to build a transmembrane pore structure are found in the transcriptome of a common periwinkle kidney loaded with trematode rediae. Two homologs of mammalian Macrophage expressed gene 1 (Mpeg1), LlMpeg1-1 and LIMpeg1-2, share similar domain structure with the only difference such as LIMpeg1-2 transcript lacks of a C-terminal transmembrane helix. Expression of membrane-anchored protein LlMpeg1-1 is similar in kidneys of naturally infected with trematode Himasthla elongata and uninfected snails. The expression of the second soluble LIMpeg1-2 protein is 4-fold upregulated under infection. The third MACPF protein found in Littorina littorea kidney is homologous with Perivitellin - 2 67kDa subunit named LlPV2-67 and the expression of the transcript is 3-fold upregulated in the kidney of infected snails. The last two molecules are candidate effectors that may participate in the immune response of common periwinkles to trematode infestation. A single parasite-expressed MACPF-like protein was recorded from the transcriptome of Himasthla elongata.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate and methanol extracts ofLittorina littoreaandGalatea paradoxa

AbstractThe aquatic environment is a vital resource for bioprospecting pharmacologically important natural products. Molluscs are known to harbour compounds with antimicrobial, antitumor and antioxidant activities. This study evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of ethyl acetate and methanol tissue extracts of two molluscs, Littorina littorea (L. littorea) and Galatea paradoxa (G. paradoxa). Agar diffusion and broth dilution assays were used to test for antimicrobial activity against nine microbes. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to determine antioxidant activity of the extracts. Extracts of both molluscs showed significant activity against all the bacteria strains tested but were inactive towards the fungus. The best antibacterial activity was recorded by methanol extract of L. littorea towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In comparison to ethyl acetate extracts, methanol extracts were more efficient in scavenging the DPPH radical. Methanol extracts of L. littorea ha...

Temporal variability of a single population can determine the vulnerability of communities to perturbations

Summary Many aspects of global change affect the variability of species population densities, in terms of both the magnitude and pattern of density fluctuations. However, we have limited empirical understanding of the consequences of altered temporal variability of populations, independent of changes in their mean densities, for the structure and stability of natural communities and the responses of ecosystems to additional stressors. We used a field experiment to test the effects of altered temporal variability of a single consumer species on community structure and stability. Specifically, we manipulated the temporal variability of populations of a key grazer species on temperate rocky shores (Littorina littorea), independent of their mean densities, over 12 months and measured the responses of algal communities in terms of multiple measures of structure and stability. Further, we tested whether consumer variability determined the effects of an additional perturbation, elevated sedimentation, on algal communities. The effects of sedimentation on the structure and stability of algal communities were regulated by the temporal variability of consumer populations. In particular, elevated sedimentation led to a decrease in algal evenness, but only when consumer densities were held constant, and resulted in a decrease in the rate of local algal extinctions, but only when consumer temporal variability was increased. Independent of sedimentation, increased temporal variability of consumer populations led to a shift in algal assemblage structure and affected the stability of algal communities in terms of both compositional turnover and resistance to environmental perturbations. Further, these effects varied according to the temporal pattern of consumer density fluctuations. Synthesis. Our results demonstrate that changes in the temporal variability of a single species can modify multiple aspects of both the structure and stability of natural communities and alter their responses to perturbations. However, the effects of consumer variability cannot be predicted without knowledge of the temporal pattern of density fluctuations. These findings have profound implications for our understanding of the effects of multiple disturbances on ecosystems.

Shellfish exploitation in Stone Age Arctic Norway: procurement patterns and household activities

ABSTRACTArchaeological evidence for coastal shellfish exploitation in Arctic Norway mostly dates from 5300 to 1500 BC, encompassing the terminal Mesolithic, the Late Stone Age, and the beginning of the Early Metal Period. Shell middens are generally associated with semi-subterranean houses, but may also occur as free-standing deposits. The primary shellfish taxa exploited were Littorina littorea, Arctica islandica and Mytilus edulis. Most of the species utilized were available in the littoral zone and were easily procured in the course of daily household activities, but sub-littoral A. islandica would have required greater investment in procurement technology and time, as well as labor cooperation. Shellfish were an occasional dietary supplement and could also serve as fishing bait. Spatial and temporal variation in shellfish assemblages reflects local marine ecology, sea-level changes, household dynamics, and perhaps field processing. Interpretation of the existing data is constrained by inadequate midden sampling and documentation methods.

Assessment of PAHs levels in some fish and seafood from different coastal waters in the Niger Delta.

Levels of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 30 edible tissues of selected frequently-consumed fish and seafood collected from three coastal waters of Niger Delta, namely, Sime, Kporghor and Iko were investigated in 2014. Gas chromatographic analysis were employed for PAHs determination. Observed mean PAHs levels in the samples ranged from below detection limit (BD) of analytical instrument to 22.400 ± 0.050 μg kg−1 wet wt. in Littorina littorea, BD to 87.400 ± 0.030 μg kg−1 wet wt. in Crassostrea virginica and from BD to 171.000 ± 0.430 μg kg−1 wet wt. in Periophthalmus koeleuteri. The highest average concentration of 171.000 ± 0.430 μg kg−1 wet wt. was recorded for Indeno [1,2,3-cd]pyrene from Sime water. High molecular weight PAHs (HMW-PAHs) were generally predominant compared to low molecular weight PAHs (LMW-PAHs). The LMW- PAH/HMW-PAH ratio was <1 for all species, indicating anthropogenic origin of PAHs in the coastal waters of Niger Delta environment. Moreover, the study of the PAHs fingerprints, using specific ratios, suggests the predominance of a pyrolytic origin for observed PAHs.

Скорость роста брюхоногого моллюска Littorina littorea L. в Kaндалакшском заливе Белого моря

Скорость роста брюхоногого моллюска Littorina littorea L. в Kaндалакшском заливе Белого моря