RESPIRATORY ADAPTATIONS IN THE LIMPET PATELLA-GRANATINA - COMPARISON WITH OTHER LIMPETS

1. 1. Oxygen consumption by Patella granatina was measured in air and water, between 6 and 37.5°C. 2. 2. Respiration is consistently high. This is achieved first by the high respiratory rate-temperature curve, which is higher than most of the 10 Patella and Acmaea spp. with which P. granatina is compared. Second, P. granatina has low temperature coefficients, particularly in water, which maintain respiration at high level at the low temperatures which are often encountered. Third, small P. granatina are submerged most of the time and respire faster in water, while large animals occur high in the intertidal zone and respire faster in air. 3. 3. P. granatina has abundant food and its high metabolic rate is interpreted as part of an exploitative strategy of high energy turnover, linked with high growth rate and reproductive output. © 1979.