Table 2.
Net sulfur uptake (oxidation) and excretion by the three mollusc genera during variation experiments. Number of individuals (n); the sum total wet weight of gill tissue for each mollusc genus; average (min, max) concentrations of sulfide, thiosulfate and polysulfides as measured via a voltammetric electrode in the effluent from each aquaria; average (±s.d.) rates of net oxidation or excretion (indicated as negative or positive values, respectively) as micromoles per gram of wet gill tissue per hour.
| genus | N | total gill wet weight (g) | sulfidea | thiosulfatea | polysulfidesa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sulfide treatment | ||||||
| input | n.a. | n.a. | concentration (μM) | 349 (329, 387) | BDL | BDL |
| Alviniconcha | 10 | 36.85 | concentration (μM) | 21 (19, 23) | 73 (68, 77) | BDL |
| rate (μmoles g−1 h−1) | −6.8 ± 0.50 | +0.92 ± 0.05 | BDL | |||
| I. nautilei | 5 | 34.08 | concentration (μM) | 85 (76, 90) | BDL | 78 (0.2, 126) |
| rate (μmoles g−1 h−1) | −7.2 ± 0.75 | BDL | +2.2 ± 1.5 | |||
| B. brevior | 6 | 39.87 | concentration (μM) | 14 (12, 15) | 34 (30, 40) | BDL |
| rate (μmoles g−1 h−1) | −7.4 ± 0.52 | +0.10 ± 0.08 | BDL | |||
| thiosulfate treatment | ||||||
| input | n.a. | n.a. | concentration (μM) | BDL | 302 (251, 404) | BDL |
| Alviniconcha | 8 | 39.29 | concentration (μM) | BDL | 40 (30, 82) | BDL |
| rate (μmol g−1 h−1) | BDL | −5.62 ± 1.22 | BDL | |||
| I. nautilei | 10 | 50.68 | concentration (μM) | BDL | 44 (30, 60) | BDL |
| rate (μmol g−1 h−1) | BDL | −4.66 ± 0.93 | BDL | |||
| B. brevior | 6 | 45.29 | concentration (µM) | BDL | 103 (30, 162) | BDL |
| rate (µmol g−1 h−1) | BDL | −4.02 ± 0.84 | BDL | |||
aDetection limits: sulfide and polysulfides, 0.20 µM; thiosulfate, 30 µM.