Morphobiochemical Adaptations to the Littoral Environment in Some Atlantic Gastropods

Resumo

The morphobiochemical adaptations to the drying and feeding of four species of littoral mollusks collected in a confined area of the Atlantic coast have been analyzed: Tectarius striatus, Siphonaria pectinata, Phorcus atratus, and P. sauciatus. It was established that these mollusks differ strongly from each other morphologically and biochemically, thus demonstrating a variety of adaptations to the same environmental conditions. It was noted that T. striatus is the most adapted to live in the tidal zone. It is assumed that the survival of P. atratus and P. sauciatus in the conditions of drying is to some extent maintained by the green pigment (biliverdin) concentrated in the soft tissues, as its quantity increases as the mollusks remain without water.