. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. ESTIVATING METABOLISM IN A SNAIL carbohydrate reserve is gone. The average respiratory quotient for snails that have estivated for 120 days was The rate of oxygen consumption dropped sharply as the snails entered estivation, and more or less stabilized after three days at about 16% of the resting level (not crawling) (Fig. 2). The consumption of an average of 20 /xl-Oo/g/hr by an estivating snail suggested that the snails were burning about 450 to 550 /xg-food- stuff/g/day (one /A 1-Og = approximately one /tg-protein;
. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. ESTIVATING METABOLISM IN A SNAIL carbohydrate reserve is gone. The average respiratory quotient for snails that have estivated for 120 days was The rate of oxygen consumption dropped sharply as the snails entered estivation, and more or less stabilized after three days at about 16% of the resting level (not crawling) (Fig. 2). The consumption of an average of 20 /xl-Oo/g/hr by an estivating snail suggested that the snails were burning about 450 to 550 /xg-food- stuff/g/day (one /A 1-Og = approximately one /tg-protein; Cantarow and Schepartz, 1967). That some snails used as little as 2 /xl-CX/g/hr indicated that a few Bulimulus could withstand extended periods of dormancy. Bitliiiuthis apparently did not seem to rely on anaerobic respiration since lactic acid values of only 170 ± 60 fj-g/g (10) were found in snails that had estivated for six months. Upon being exposed to a relative humidity of 85%, snails that had been in estivation for six months would become active within one to three hours. Such a quick response to a moist situation assures that Bui hint I its can capitalize on such environmentally favorable conditions. In Central Texas the snails are out feeding for short periods about twice a month in the spring and fall, but during the hot summer they may remain dormant for 3 to 4 months, depending on the pattern of rainfall. Biiliiiinlits is also dormant during the cool winter months of December, January and February. Since the snails are active only during or shortly after a rain, they rarely have the opportunity to feed for more than 24 to 36 hours. During short periods of dormancy, the snails probably depend on carbohydrate for energy. In the laboratory Bitliiiinliis that have fed for several weeks store only ± mg-polysaccharide/g wet weight (TO). The largest value recorded was 14 mg/g wet weight. It is doubtful that such deposits would be attained outside of the laborator
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlilliefrankrat, booksubjectbiology, booksubjectzoology
