Cavolinia inflexa

Introduction

Cavolinia inflexa are members of the thecosome pteropod genus that dwell in the epipelagic zone feeding on arctic snow and smaller microorganisms. While it is known that Cavolinia inflexa are filters feeders, their reproductive tendencies and behaviors are not well studied. They can be used as a proxy for assuming climatic conditions for a particular period and have been a focus of ocean acidification impact studies.[1][2]

Morphology and Physiology

Like other thecosome pteropods, Cavolinia inflexa form an aggronite shell to surround their body. As a result, they have been found to be highly sensitive to ocean acidification and the constantly changing water column’s chemical composition.[3] Cavolinia inflexa are found to be between 2-8 millimeters in length, and have a length to width ratio between 0.51 and 0.81. Additionally, they have a straight shell, their posterior tip bent upwards, and a bilaterally symmetrical structure.[4]

Behavior

Cavolinia inflexa move throughout depths in response to where the largest concentration of food is, as it reacts to the vertical migration patterns expressed by zooplankton.[5] However, they are mostly found floating in the epipelagic zone of the ocean. Their vertical migration is also in response to a diurnal cycle.[6] They feed by ingesting their captured prey that has been snared by their mucus feedings webs. After 1-3 minutes they can completely consume and digest their snared prey.[7]

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Information on the reproduction of Cavolinia inflexa is scant, but there has been research conducted on the reproduction of similar pteropod species. The pteropod Limacina retroversa has a reproductive cycle occurring twice a year.[8] The first occurring at the start of spring and the second nearing the end of summer. In order to survive and reproduce, the two distinct generations employ different life history strategies. Offspring born during the spring reproductive cycle develop more rapidly so they can mature in time for the summer mating season while offspring born during the summer withstand the physiological challenges of the cold winter to then reproduce the following spring.[8] It takes at least 3 months of development for Limacina retroversa to produce viable egg clutches.[9]

Ecology and Distribution

Cavolinia inflexa are a common thecosome pteropod found worldwide in warm waters between 55° N to 45° S.[3] They are filter feeders as is typical among Pteropoda. Their diet consists of marine snow–organic matter that is suspended in the water column.

Cavolinia inflexa were initially believed to be multiple subspecies, but later studies show that the species does not exhibit enough regional variation to have categorical subspecies.[4] Cavolinia inflexa live in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, but there is not significant geographical variation.[4]

Climate change may pose a threat to Cavolinia inflexa as ocean acidification has been shown to impact larval development.[2] In particular, ocean acidification prevents the formation of their shells, leaving the organism vulnerable to predation.[3] One study found a significant decrease in shell density among Cavolinia inflexa between 1910 and 2012.[10]

Cavolinia inflexa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Clade: Euopisthobranchia
Order: Pteropoda
Family: Cavoliniidae
Genus: Cavolinia
Species:
C. inflexa
Binomial name
Cavolinia inflexa
(Lesueur, 1813)

References
  1. Buccheri, Giuseppe (1984-02-01). "Pteropods as climatic indicators in quaternary sequences: A Lower-Middle Pleistocene sequence outcropping in Cava Puleo (Ficarazzi, Palermo, Italy)". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 45 (1): 75–86. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(84)90110-X. ISSN 0031-0182.
  2. Comeau, S., Gorsky, G., Alliouane, S., Gatusso, J.P. (2010). Larvae of the pteropod Cavolinia inflexa exposed to aragonite undersaturation are viable but shell-less. Mar Biol, 157, 2341–2345.
  3. Doney, Scott C.; Fabry, Victoria J.; Feely, Richard A.; Kleypas, Joan A. (2009-01-01). "Ocean Acidification: The Other CO 2 Problem". Annual Review of Marine Science. 1 (1): 169–192. doi:10.1146/annurev.marine.010908.163834. ISSN 1941-1405.
  4. van der Spoel, S.; Pierrot-Bults, A. C. (1998-01-01). "Variation in Cavolinia inflexa (Lesueur, 1813) (Gastropoda: Pteropoda: Euthecosomata)". Zoologische Verhandelingen. 323 (34): 435–440.
  5. Tarling, G. A., Matthews, J. B. L., David, P., Guerin, O., & Buchholz, F. (2001). The swarm dynamics of northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica) and pteropods (Cavolinia inflexa) during vertical migration in the Ligurian Sea observed by an acoustic Doppler current profiler. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 48(7), 1671-1686.
  6. Sakthivel, M (1977). "Further studies of plankton ecosystems in the eastern Indian Ocean. VIII. Seasonal, diurnal, and latitudinal variations in abundance of Euthecosomata along the 110°E. meridian". Marine and Freshwater Research. 28 (5): 663. doi:10.1071/mf9770663. ISSN 1323-1650.
  7. “Dr. Zhaohui Aleck Wang.” Dr Zhaohui Aleck Wang, https://www2.whoi.edu/staff/zawang/projects/ocean-acidification-on-pteropods/#:~:text=Thecosome%20pteropods%20are%20a%20group,ecosystems%20of%20the%20world's%20oceans .
  8. Dadon, J.R., de Cidre, L.L. (1992). The reproductive cycle of the Thecosomatous pteropod Limacina retroversa in the western South Atlantic. Marine Biology 114, 439–442.
  9. Thabet, A.A., Maas, A.E., Lawson, G.L. et al. (2015). Life cycle and early development of the thecosomatous pteropod Limacina retroversa in the Gulf of Maine, including the effect of elevated CO2 levels. Mar Biol 162, 2235–2249.
  10. Howes, E.L., Eagle, R.A., Gatusso, J.P. (2017). Comparison of Mediterranean pteropod shell biometrics and ultrastructure from historical (1910 and 1921) and present day (2012) samples provides baseline for monitoring effects of global change. PLOS One.


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