Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access published online on May 8, 2009
Journal of Molluscan Studies, doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp021
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STABLE-ISOTOPE SIGNATURES (
13C AND
15N) OF DIFFERENT TISSUES OF PINNA NOBILIS LINNAEUS, 1758 (BIVALVIA): ISOTOPIC VARIATIONS AMONG TISSUES AND BETWEEN SEASONS
Laboratorio de Biología Marina, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Campus Universitario, Ctra. de Valldemossa s/n, km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, Spain
Correspondence: M. Cabanellas-Reboredo; e-mail: miguel.cabanellas{at}uib.es
| Abstract |
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The fan mussel Pinna nobilis is a rapidly growing suspension-feeding bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and usually inhabits seagrass meadows. This endangered bivalve assimilates carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios in tissues from its food sources. The
13C and
15N signatures were used to demonstrate isotopic variation among three tissues (digestive gland, gills and muscle) and (for digestive gland and gills) between summer and winter. Isotopic values were in the order: gills
muscle > digestive gland. The mean values of the isotopic signal for
13C were –20.41 ± 0.12
, –19.78 ± 0.07
and –19.30 ± 0.5
and for
15N were 2.84 ± 0.11
, 4.05 ± 0.14
and 3.51 ± 0.15
for the tissues digestive gland, gills and muscle, respectively. Seasonal variations (summer–winter) were found in the isotopic signals (
13C and
15N) for digestive gland and gills of fan mussel. As a result, this study suggests muscle as the appropriate tissue for future trophic studies and indicates that isotopic signals should be compared in the same season. These
13C and
15N values are among the first available for P. nobilis and contribute to the library of
values for marine invertebrates.
(Received 27 June 2008; accepted 31 March 2009)