Variations in the rate of oxygen consumption, ammonia excretion and O:N ratio of freshwater bivalve mollusc, Indonaia caeruleus in relation to body size during summer season.

摘要

Considering the size specific variations in metabolic rates of bivalve shell-fishes we report here the size dependent variation in the O:N ratio in freshwater bivalve molluscs, Indonaia caeruleus from the banks of Godavari river at Paithan, near Aurangabad. The freshwater bivalves with specific size i.e. small (42-48 mm in shell-length) and large (56-63 mm in shell-length) were selected for determination of changes in the rate of oxygen consumption, rate of ammonia excretion and O:N (oxygen: nitrogen) ratio on April and May during summer. The adult bivalves with small size, showed high values of O:N ratio compared to large ones. The values of O:N ratio were found greater in large sized bivalves on May during summer season. The results are discussed in the light of metabolic processes in fresh-water bivalve molluscs.