Biology of Living Brachiopods

Growth and metabolism in the Antarctic brachiopodLiothyrella uva

“…However, it is possible that in low energy lifestyle species living in reduced resource supply environments that basal metabolic rates are reduced to such low levels that any scope for interindividual variation is strongly limited. This is supported by the fact that oxygen consumption in cold water brachiopods is between 0.1 times and 0.5 times that of similar sized bivalve molluscs (James et al 1992). Clearly the effects of a highly seasonal polar environment on inter-individual variation in physiological performance requires further investigation.…”

“…High efficiency of resource use has been identified as a characteristic of brachiopods (James et al 1992;Peck 1993Peck , 1996. In a study of tissue mass cycles in the Antarctic brachiopod Liothyrella uva (Broderip 1833), Peck & Holmes (1989) found that all tissues increased in mass during the summer.…”

An outer-shelf cold-seep assemblage in forearc basin fill, Pliocene Takanabe Formation, Kyushu Island, Japan

“…They feed on suspended organic matter and do not possess a functional anus (James et al 1992). No endo− symbiotic interactions have been observed for this group of animals.…”

Note: Embryonic and larval development ofCalloria inconspicua(Brachiopoda, Terebratellidae)

“…Thus, it can be stated that specific (i.e. constant) schedules of brachiopod ontogenesis can in reality hardly be inferred from breeding experiments, as was suggested by developmental tables in Percival (1944), Long (1964), Reed (1987), James et al (1992) and others. Owing to high variability of developmental times, even under normal conditions (well known in lingulid brachiopods -C. Emig, pers.…”