Reprint Series No. 25

MANILA CLAM (VENERUPIS PHILIPPINARUM) UTILIZATION OF RADIOLABELLED DIETS COMPOSED OF PHYTOPLANKTON OR DETRITAL PARTICIPATES Sandra V. Palm February 1996
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Bibliographic Citation
Palm, Sandra V. 1996. Manila clam (Venerupis philippinarum) untilization of radiolabelled diets composed of phytoplankton or detrital participates. Master of Science Thesis, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington. 76 pp. Washington State Department of Ecology (Publication No. 96-105), Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Reprint Series No. 25.

Abstract
Laboratory feeding experiments with ¹⁴C tracers demonstrated that adult Manila clams, (Venerupis philippinarum (Adams & Reeve, 1850)) could ingest and absorb detrital particulates from both Ulva fenestrata and Zostera marina. Only about one-third the quantity of Ulva particulates were ingested compared with phytoplankton diets consisting of Chaetoceros gracilis or Isochrysis galbana. About one-eighth the quantity of detrital particulates from Ulva or Zostera were absorbed into tissue compared with both phytoplankton diets. No statistical difference between treatments was detected for dietary contributions to either respiration or egestion. Patterns of gut passage time for all diets were statistically similar. Carbon budgets assessed relative contributions of diets to tissue, respiration, and egestion. The contribution of carbon to tissue was significantly different between treatments; however, contributions of carbon to respiration and egestion were not statistically different. This research quantifies that in the laboratory, adult Manila clams can utilize detrital particulates and implies participation in detrital food webs of nearshore estuarine habitats associated with mud flats and eelgrass.