The Company of Biologists

Table 1.

Aerobic metabolism continues for hours inside C. flumina with closed valves (two examples)

C. fluminea (mass)

200 mg DM=1.4 g FM

1000 mg DM=7 g FM

Volume (ml)

Mantle cavity fluid

0.5-1.0

1-2

Tissue^{^a}

1.4

Normoxic O₂ content at 15°C (μmol O₂^{^b}

0.60-0.76

2.5-2.8

Oxycalorific equivalent (J) ^{^c}

0.27-0.34

1.1-1.3

Metabolic rate at 15°C ^{^d}

19 μW=0.07 J h⁻¹

40 μW=0.14 J h⁻¹

Duration until O₂ is depleted (h)

4-5

8-9

DM, dry mass; FM, fresh mass.

1 g FM tissue=1 ml.

O₂ content is 0.315 μmol ml⁻¹.

Oxycalorific equivalent=0.45 J μmol⁻¹O₂.

From the equation MR=1.65x^0.46, where MR=heat dissipation (μW) and x=dry mass (mg).