Biocorrosion by Bivalves

Abstract

Abstract. A survey of the historical background of chemically boring bivalves and the proposed methods of boring, indications for biocorrosion, observations, and experimental results are provided. The regional impact to the ecosystem is discussed with examples from the N. Adriatic, Caribbean, and E. Pacific. The fossil record of the geologically oldest biocorroders extends back into the Mesozoic, i.e., U. Triassic for Lithophaga and Jurassic for gastrochaenids.

Large gryphaeid oysters as habitats for numerous sclerobionts: a case study from the northern Red Sea

“…The main destroyers on the studied oyster shell are boring sponges and bivalves, which are generally among the most important bioeroders in Cenozoic coral reef environments (Hutchings 1986;Kleemann 1996;Perry 1998). Clionid boreholes strongly dominate on the upper and lower valve of Hyotissa, whereas lithophagine boreholes are more important on the lower valve.…”

Spondylus crassisquama Lamarck, 1819 as a microecosystem and the effects of associated macrofauna on its shell integrity: isles of biodiversity or sleeping with the enemy?

“…We found one species of the genus Lithophaga, and two species of the genus Gastrochaena, which both drill by mostly chemical means, i.e. are "biocorroders" (Yonge 1955;Warme and Marshall 1969;Scott 1988;Lazar and Loya 1991;Kleemann 1996). Pholadidae (one species in our samples) is also a prominent boring bivalve family (Ansell and Nair 1969;Warme and Marshall 1969;Savazzi 2005), and includes genera of biocorroders and bioabradors (mechanical borers).…”

“…Boring bivalves usually work by a combination of chemical and mechanical means, with one of the methods often being dominant; see Kleemann (1996) and references therein for an in-depth discussion of this topic. We found one species of the genus Lithophaga, and two species of the genus Gastrochaena, which both drill by mostly chemical means, i.e.…”

Reef Bioerosion: Agents and Processes

“…Macroborers are comprised of various organisms (Hutchings 1986 for review), including protists (foraminifera), sponges (Todd 2000), polychaetes (Wielgus et al 2006), sipunculids (Gherardi and Bosence 2001), bivalves (e.g., lithophagid mussels; Kleemann 1996), and crustaceans (e.g., cirripeds; Kolbasov 2000). Organisms such as some foraminifera, bryozoans, and serpulids (polychaetes) only etch the surface of the substrates to anchor themselves (Fig.…”