The Relation of the Radula Fraction to the Environment in Patella

Brian, M. V.; Owen, Gwyneth

doi:10.2307/1960

Cited by 17 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The latter authors note that intraspecific variation in relative radula length is common and unaccounted for, seemingly bearing no relation to either food or substratum. Brian and Owen (1952) suggested a relationship with aerial exposure and noted consistent variation with shore height and some variation with shore exposure. We can offer no further insight as we controlled for shore height and exposure, detected no relationship to geographical location, have no reason to suspect a variation in food between the sites and all sites have a relatively soft substratum of magnesian limestone, chalk or soft sedimentary rock (pers.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Metal Concentrations in the Radula of the Common Limpet, Patella vulgata L., from 10 Sites in the UK

2005

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Metal (Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Zn) levels in the feeding organ or radula of the common limpet Patella vulgata L. were surveyed in 10 populations over a approximately 150-km stretch of coastline in north-east England. The most northern population was at Beadnell in Northumberland and the most southern was at Port Mulgrave in North Yorkshire; sites included unspoilt bays and areas heavily affected by industrial contamination such as the River Tees estuary. We hypothesized that the radula might be used as an indicator of environmental contamination. There were significant differences between the sites in the ratio of radula length to shell length. Limpets from Whitburn had the smallest radula fraction (mean = 1.665), while those from Port Mulgrave the largest (mean = 1.998). Such variation is common in the literature and we detected no correlate and propose no cause. Iron was clearly the dominant metal in the radulae, with an overall of mean of 1.46% of radular weight, though this is rather low in comparison to values in the literature. Iron is naturally secreted into the developing radula as a putative hardening agent. The next most abundant metals, in descending order, were Na (at approximately 2000-8000 microg g(-1)), K, Mg, Ca (approximately 1000-1500 microg g(-1)), Zn, Cu, Al, Pb (approximately 7-75 microg g(-1)), Mn, As, Cd (approximately 0-1 microg g(-1)). All but Al and Cd showed significant differences between the sites, but not in any consistent or convincing geographic manner. Nevertheless, the variations in metal levels between sites (e.g. Fe > 72%, Cu and Zn > 10-fold) suggest an environmental cause, but we are unable to offer any responsible factor, for example, there appeared little effect of the River Tees estuary. Cadmium is at a relatively low level in the radula in comparison to published data on pedal mucus and the flesh, but Pb is relatively high in pedal mucus and the radula and this might suggest that the radula is a detoxification route for Pb. Although the relationship between radula metal content and environmental metal content is unknown, the radula is constantly replaced and so may yet have the potential to be of use as a bioindicator, integrating metal exposure over much shorter periods than whole body burdens.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Metal Concentrations in the Radula of the Common Limpet, Patella vulgata L., from 10 Sites in the UK

2005

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“…The characters used to identify adults of the three Patella spp. which occur in the British Isles, P. vulgata L. 1758, P. aspera Roding, 1798, and P. depressa Pennant, 1777, have been extensively described by numerous workers (Fischer-Piette, 1935,1941Orton, 1946;Evans, 1947Evans, ,1953Brian & Owen, 1952;Bacci & Sella, 1970;Sella & Bacci, 1971;Sella, 1976). Though individual features of shell morphology, colour of head scar, foot and mantle tentacles, and radula fraction show considerable variation in all 3 spp., it is easy enough, with practice, to identify all but an insignificant few in the field using a combination of external characters only (shell morphology, colour of foot and mantle tentacles) (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The morphology of Patella spp. juveniles in Britain, and some phylogenetic inferences

Bowman

1981

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

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Juveniles of Patella spp. in Britain are shown to be easier to classify than adults, on shell morphology alone, because of a species-specific difference in number and arrangement of the post-larval mantle tentacles. The limpets can thus be clearly divided into three distinct spp.: P. vulgata Linn., 1758, P. aspera Roding, 1798, and P. depressa Pennant, 1777, which confirms recent evidence from gel-electrophoreric studies. As the limpet grows, this initial difference gives rise to many of the variables of shell shape and colour upon which adult identification is based. In the process, it can be influenced by environmental factors to the extent of producing confusing phenotypes such as those hitherto supposed to be hybrid or genetically transitional forms. The characters described suggest that, contrary to current opinion, P. aspera and P. depressa are related more closely to each other than to P. vulgata; they may also have some bearing on the species' success and distribution in the British Isles.

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“…As in other species within the genus Patella (Brian and Owen, 1952;Vermeij, 1973), also in the Mediterranean ones, the shell parameters and the radula-fraction reflect the different habitats and consequent adaptations of the limpets, mainly to dessication (Davies, 1969;Bannister, 1975;Sella, 1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Phosphoglucose Isomerase Variability in Sympatric Populations of Mediterranean Species of Patella (Gastropoda, Prosobranchiata)

Badino¹,

Sella²

1980

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Genetic variability at the phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) locus was compared in Mediterranean sympatric populations of Patella aspera, P. coerulea and P. lusitan~ca. P. aspera and P. coerulea show PG1 patterns much alike, while P. lusitanica exhibits a more anodal general zone of mobility of its PG1 allozymes. The differentiation of P. lusitanica pattern may be tentatively interpreted as the result of a selective action, which enabled this species to extend its range in the upper intertidal zone. However, all the most frequent PG1 allozymes of the Mediterranean Patella species exhibited the same degree of thermostability. Such findings suggest that, in the differentiation process of the PG1 locus in Mediterranean limpets, one or more factors other than temperature may have been involved.

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The Relation of the Radula Fraction to the Environment in Patella

Cited by 17 publications

References 7 publications

Metal Concentrations in the Radula of the Common Limpet, Patella vulgata L., from 10 Sites in the UK

Metal Concentrations in the Radula of the Common Limpet, Patella vulgata L., from 10 Sites in the UK

The morphology of Patella spp. juveniles in Britain, and some phylogenetic inferences

Phosphoglucose Isomerase Variability in Sympatric Populations of Mediterranean Species of Patella (Gastropoda, Prosobranchiata)

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