Authors: WA Estabrooks¹; EA Kay¹; SA McCarthy²

Source: Journal of Molluscan Studies, Volume 65, Number 1, February 1999 , pp. 61-72(12)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Abstract:

Neritoidean gastropods are present in freshwater, brackish and marine environments, which vary in salinity and exposure to dehydration. In this study we examine the structure of the excretory system of Hawaiian nerites, which indicates possible processes that enable these gastropods to survive in a wide range of environments in the Hawaiian Islands.

As is true of other nerites studied to date, the main excretory mechanism of Hawaiian nerites is through filtration of the blood between podocytes in the auricle epicardium, resulting in production of an ultrafiltrate, which collects in the pericardial cavity. No podocytes are present on the surface of the ventricle of Hawaiian nerites. The reno-pericardial canal conveys the urine to the kidney, the epithelium of which is composed mainly of acidophilic cells in marine nerites. In brackish and fresh water species, basophilic cells are present in addition to the acidophilic cells present in marine nerites. It is proposed that the basophilic kidney cells allows non-marine nerites to osmoregulate and produce a hyperosmotic urine at low salinities. A bladder is present, and empties into the mantle cavity near the gill by way of a ureter.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: University of Hawaii, Department of Zoology, Edmondson Hall-2540 the Mall, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA 2: University of Hawaii, SOEST, Department of Oceanography, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

Publication date: 1999-02-01

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• The Journal of Molluscan Studies is the major international journal covering the biology of molluscs. The journal features the newly developing subjects of molecular genetics, cladistic phylogenetics and ecophysiology, but also maintains coverage of ecological, behavioural and systematic malacology.

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