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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access originally published online on March 14, 2009
Journal of Molluscan Studies 2009 75(2):175-185; doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp009
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

Ctenidial structure and three bacterial symbiont morphotypes in Anodontia (Euanodontia) ovum (Reeve, 1850) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Bivalvia: Lucinidae)

Alexander D. Ball1, Kevin J. Purdy3, Emily A. Glover2 and John D. Taylor2

1Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; 2Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; and 3Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK

Correspondence: J.D. Taylor; email: j.taylor{at}nhm.ac.uk


  Abstract

The structure of the ctenidia of the Indo-West Pacific chemosymbiotic lucinid bivalve Anodontia (Euanodontia) ovum was investigated by electron microscopy. Ctenidial filaments are similar in general morphology to those described from other Lucinidae, with a ciliated zone, a short intermediary zone and a thick abfrontal zone composed largely of bacteriocytes separated by narrow intercalary cells. The bacteriocyte zones of adjacent filaments are fused in the distal part to form short cylindrical channels. The apices of intercalary cells project as cytoplasmic protrusions in the form of spiky tufts, with sheets and tendrils spreading over adjacent bacteriocytes. Compared with other lucinids A. ovum lacks abfrontal granule cells, mucocytes are infrequent and the bacteriocyte channels are short. Three morphotypes of symbiotic bacteria were detected, associated with the bacteriocyte zone of the ctenidial filaments: (1) all bacteriocytes contained abundant bacteria 3–5 µm long and 0.5–1.0 µm wide, enclosed in single vacuoles; (2) some bacteriocytes possessed spherical vesicles enclosing masses of smaller rod-shaped bacteria c. 1.0 µm long; (3) probable spirochaete bacteria, 8–10 µm long and 0.3 µm wide, were abundant within the apical cytoplasmic protrusions of the intercalary cells. Preliminary molecular analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences has so far identified only one bacterial symbiont, from the gamma division of Proteobacteria grouping in a cluster of symbiotic thiotrophs. This symbiont of A. ovum is closely similar to a symbiont previously reported from the western Atlantic lucinid Anodontia schrammi (originally cited as A. philippiana).

(Received 6 August 2008; accepted 30 January 2009)


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