Clione antarctica
| Clione antarctica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Clionoidea |
| Family: | Clionidae |
| Subfamily: | Clioninae |
| Genus: | Clione |
| Species: | C. antarctica |
| Binomial name | |
| Clione antarctica (Smith, 1902) | |
Clione antarctica is a species of "sea angel", a sea slug, a pelagic marine gastropod mollusk in the family Clionidae, the "sea angels".
Distribution
The distribution of Clione antarctica is within the Southern Hemisphere, in the polar waters of Antarctica.[1][2]
Description
The length of this species is 4.2 cm.
Ecology
Clione antarctica is an important component of polar ecosystems. It preys upon Limacina antarctica[1] It is itself eaten by the medusa Diplulmaris antarctica.[3] C. antarctica has a large lipid storage capacity: up to 5% of its wet mass.[4] It is able to survive without food for about six months by utilizing these lipid storage reserves.[4] Clione antarctica lays eggs in the spring.[4]
This species defends itself from predators by synthesizing an ichthyodeterrent (a chemical that deters fishes); this is a previously unknown molecule called pteroenone.[5] The sea angel acts as a "guest" for the hyperiid amphipod Hyperiella dilatata, which takes advantage of the protection provided by the gastropod's icthyodeterrent.[5]
References
- 1 2 Whitehead, K.; Karentz, D.; Hedges, J. (2001). "Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in phytoplankton, a herbivorous pteropod (Limacina helicina), and its pteropod predator (Clione antarctica) in McMurdo Bay, Antarctica". Marine Biology. 139 (5): 1013. doi:10.1007/s002270100654.
- ↑ Rudman W. B. (11 January 2006). "Clione antarctica (Smith, 1902)". Sea Slug Forum. accessed 2 February 2011.
- ↑ Larson, R. J.; Harbison, G. R. (1990). "Medusae from Mcmurdo Sound, Ross Sea including the descriptions of two new species, Leuckartiara brownei and Benthocodon hyalinus". Polar Biology. 11. doi:10.1007/BF00236517.
- 1 2 3 Seibel, B. A.; Dierssen, H. M. (2003). "Cascading trophic impacts of reduced biomass in the Ross Sea, Antarctica: Just the tip of the iceberg?". The Biological bulletin. 205 (2): 93–97. doi:10.2307/1543229. PMID 14583506..
- 1 2 Yoshida, W. Y.; Bryan, P. J.; Baker, B. J.; McClintock, J. B. (1995). "Pteroenone: A Defensive Metabolite of the Abducted Antarctic Pteropod Clione antarctica". The Journal of Organic Chemistry. 60 (3): 780. doi:10.1021/jo00108a057.
External links
- "Clione antarctica". National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
- Bryan P. J., Yoshida W. Y., McClintock J. B. & Baker B. J. (1995). "Ecological role for pteroenone, a novel antifeedant from the conspicuous antarctic pteropod Clione antarctica (Gymnosomata: Gastropoda)". Marine Biology 122: 271-277.
- Gilmer R. W. & Lalli C. M. (1990). "Bipolar variation in Clione, a gymnosomatous pteropod". Am. Malacol. Union Bull. 8(1): 67-75.
- Nakamura, Y.; Kiyota, H.; Baker, B. J.; Kuwahara, S. (2005). "First Synthesis of (+)-Pteroenone: A Defensive Metabolite of the Abducted Antarctic Pteropod Clione antarctica". ChemInform. 36 (32). doi:10.1002/chin.200532193.
- Yoshida, W. Y.; Bryan, P. J.; Baker, B. J.; McClintock, J. B. (2010). "ChemInform Abstract: Pteroenone: A Defensive Metabolite of the Abducted Antarctic Pteropod Clione antarctica". ChemInform. 26 (29): no. doi:10.1002/chin.199529325.