Journal
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
Volume 28, Issue 3, Pages 471-493Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10682-013-9680-9
Keywords
Terrestrial gastropods; Temperature of crystallisation; Body water; Phylogenetic relationships; PGLS
Categories
Funding
- MAPGEO project
- INSU/INEE PALEO2 program of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Body water is a major element of the cold-hardiness strategies observed in ectothermic animals, in particular in freezing avoidant species for which body ice formation is lethal. Here, we investigate the relationships, in terrestrial snails, between the temperature of crystallisation (Tc) and body water (water mass and water content), shell shape, geographic and climatic distribution, taking into account phylogenetic inertia. Phylogenetic relationships among 31 species from 13 different families of terrestrial Gastropods were studied using 28S rRNA nuclear and COI mitochondrial sequence data, together with species-specific traits. Our results provide evidence for clear relationships between Tc and absolute/relative body water: smaller species with lower water content tended to be characterized by colder temperatures of crystallisation, although some exceptions were noticeable. Environmental conditions do not appear to affect Tc significantly, as well as shell shape which is however correlated with water content. This study confirmed that supercooling ability in land snails is size-constrained, with consequences on cold-hardiness strategies.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available