Premium
Studies on energy transformation in the freshwater snail Pila globosa
Author(s) -
VIVEKANANDAN E.,
HANIFFA M. A.,
PANDIAN T. J.,
RAGHURAMAN R.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1974.tb00097.x
Subject(s) - snail , biology , zoology , dry weight , absorption efficiency , gastropoda , freshwater snail , ecology , botany
Summary The effects of eleven chosen feeding levels ranging from 0 to 198 mg damp dry (plant) Ceratophyllum/g live snail/day on the absorption, conversion and metabolism of the snail Pila globosa (of 1 ‐9 g body weight) have been studied. Absorption rates increased from 3‐0 to 21‐0 mg dry food/g live snail/day in snails fed 3‐4‐28‐8 mg dry food/g live snail/day. In these snails, absorption efficiency decreased from 87.5 to 73.0%. Conversion rates increased from 0‐3 mg/g/day for snails receiving 23‐4 mg/g/day to 2‐7 mg/g/day for those fed maximum amounts, and the efficiency (K 2 ) also increased from 1‐9% to 130%. When compared to other gastropods, Pila globosa appears to be a poor convertor. During 30 days' starvation, the test individuals lost 4.4 mg dry body substance/g/day i.e. the maintenance cost was 14‐7 cal/g live snail/day. The SDA increased by four times for those feeding on maximum rations in comparison to those receiving about 5 mg/g/day, i.e. the energy cost for converting food was increased four times.