The ocean is not deep enough: pressure tolerances during early ontogeny of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis.

ABSTRACT: Early ontogenetic adaptations reflect the evolutionary history of a species. To understand the evolution of the deep-sea fauna and its adaptation to high pressure, it is important to know the effects of pressure on their shallow-water relatives. In this study we analyse the temperature and pressure tolerances of early life-history stages of the shallow-water species Mytilus edulis. This species expresses a close phylogenetic relationship with hydrothermal-vent mussels of the subfamily Bathymodiolinae. Tolerances to pressure and temperature are defined in terms of fertilization success and embryo developmental rates in laboratory-based experiments. In M. edulis, successful fertilization under pressure is possible up to 500 atm (50.66 MPa), at 10, 15 and 20 degrees C. A slower embryonic deve

SUBMITTER: Mestre NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2660949 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature