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Tergipes antarcticus (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia): distribution, life cycle, morphology, anatomy and adaptation of the first mollusc known to live in Antarctic sea ice

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Abstract

Tergipes antarcticus (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) has been reported from Antarctic sea ice twice (1903 and 2008). The extent of its distribution and life history remained unclear. We have evaluated data from several cruises, showing that T. antarcticus is widely distributed in sea ice throughout the Weddell Sea. Adults, juveniles, larvae and egg clutches of T. antarcticus were found in the ice indicating that the species reproduces within this habitat. We collected live material of T. antarcticus for a thorough description of all life stages and to investigate the developmental stages and physiological adaptations. Total developmental time from egg to veliger larvae was relatively short with 31 days (range 13–65 days) at 0°C. Liquid withdrawn from egg clutches and adult T. antarcticus showed clear signs of thermal hysteresis. This is the first report of thermal hysteresis from a sea ice metazoan. We conclude that T. antarcticus is an autochthonous species to Antarctic sea ice.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks are first of all due to Iris Werner (Institute for Polar Ecology, Kiel) for her support during all phases of this study. We are grateful for the help of captains, crews and colleagues during the different expeditions with R/V Polarstern. Alexander Martynov (Zoological Museum of Moscow State University) kindly sent specimens located in the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. Christiane Walnisch (Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Bonn) helped in preparing the histological slides. We furthermore thank Magnus Lucassen and Hans-Otto Pörtner (Alfred-Wegÿener-Institute, Bremerhaven) for the opportunity to work in their labs, where molecular biological analysis and thermal hysteresis measurements were done. Ice core in situ temperature measurements on 3 Oct 2006 were done by Christian Haas (University of Alberta, Edmonton) and his group. The picture for Fig. 1 A was taken by Marcel Nicolaus (Norsk Polarinstitutt, Tromsö). The sea slug forum (http://www.seaslugforum.net/) maintained by Bill Rudman (Australian Museum, Sydney) was very helpful as a source of background information on nudibranchs. We would furthermore like to thank two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on the manuscript. Parts of this study were funded by a grant of the German Science Foundation to Heike Wägele (Wa 618/6).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Polar Ecology, Wischhofstr. 1-3, Gebäude 12, 24148, Kiel, Germany

    Rainer Kiko, Maike Kramer & Michael Spindler

  2. Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Rainer Kiko

  3. Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany

    Heike Wägele

  4. Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53121, Bonn, Germany

    Heike Wägele

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  1. Rainer Kiko
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  2. Maike Kramer
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  4. Heike Wägele
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Correspondence to Rainer Kiko.

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300_2008_478_MOESM1_ESM.doc

MOESM1 [Supplementary Table S1: Tergipes antarcticus samples obtained and analysed for this study. Abbreviations: Ad = adult, Dev = development, EC = egg clutch, Juv = juvenile, LO = live observation, LVS = large volume sample, RNA = RNA isolation, SCP = supercooling point, TH = thermal hysteresis] (DOC 20 kb)

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Kiko, R., Kramer, M., Spindler, M. et al. Tergipes antarcticus (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia): distribution, life cycle, morphology, anatomy and adaptation of the first mollusc known to live in Antarctic sea ice. Polar Biol 31, 1383–1395 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-008-0478-0

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