Marine Mussels. Elizabeth Gosling
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Название: Marine Mussels

Автор: Elizabeth Gosling

Издательство: John Wiley & Sons Limited

Жанр: Техническая литература

Серия:

isbn: 9781119293934

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СКАЧАТЬ extant offshoot of the Conchifera (Haszprunar 2008).

      Source: From Sigwart & Lindberg (2015). Reproduced with permission from Oxford University Press.

      Bivalvia is the second largest class within the Mollusca, with more than 9000 extant species. Individuals are bilaterally symmetrical with a laterally compressed body enclosed in two shell valves. Bivalves are an important component of marine and freshwater ecosystems, with more than 80% of species living in oceanic habitats and exhibiting varied ecologies. Sessile epifaunal bivalves, such as oysters and mussels, attach themselves to hard surfaces, while infaunal bivalves, such as clams, burrow to different depths in sand or sediment on the seafloor or in riverbeds. Other sessile forms bore into hard sediments such as coral and wood. Some species, such as scallops, are free‐living and can move through the water by clapping the two shell valves together or dig into the sediment using their muscular foot. Although some bivalves are deposit feeders, the majority feed using greatly enlarged gill surfaces to filter food particles from the surrounding water. However, because of their mode of feeding, they pump large volumes of water and thus have the potential to accumulate contaminants, bacteria, viruses and toxins, frequently posing significant public health risks. Despite this, many species form the basis of valuable aquaculture and fisheries industries worldwide.