Respiration of invasive bivalve Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) at the 14-days starvation and different oxygen content in sea water

Abstract

In the present work the influence of oxygen content in sea water and 14-days starvation on respiration rate of the bivalve species, Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906), has been studied. The blood clams with shell height 25-30 mm have been used for experiments. Respiration rate varied in the wide range, from maximal value 89.9 mgO2·l-1 (at 100% saturation) to 5.0 µgО2·h-1·gww-1 (at 76% saturation) at the salinity 17-18 psu and temperature 18°C. The oxygen consumption of the blood clam was substantially lower compared to other benthic bivalves. Our results suggest the ability of A.kagoshimensis to rapidly transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism under conditions that are not critical for them. Two-weeks starvation led to an increase in respiration rates of the blood clam A. kagoshimensis, which indicates an intensification of oxidative processes of organism by 35 ˗ 55%. The article discusses metabolic processes that require increased oxygen consumption.