|
10/20/2011, 10:12 PM | #1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 839
|
Photosynthetic Sea Slugs in the Lab
Purpose of the Thread
Hi everyone, I am beginning a research project on some very interesting creatures and I thought I would start a thread to share information about them with everyone. It will also help me keep track of the project, write for a broad audience and hopefully provide some inspiration. Introduction This is Elysia clarki, a species of sea slug native to the Florida Keys which have the remarkable ability to steal chloroplasts from algae and survive for long periods using only photosynthesis. This is called kleptoplasty, and is done (with varying degrees of success) by many sea slugs. What really makes them special is that they not only hijack chloroplasts, they’ve actually “stolen” some of the algae’s genes as well! They’re also adorable: The research project is to study how well the sea slugs do some very plant-like things, like maintaining chloroplasts and pumping in carbon dioxide so their chloroplasts can make sugar. I will be using functional methods to measure both photosynthetic rates and the photosynthetic health of the animals. With this information, together with the genetics done by other labs, we will have a better understanding how an animal can take an entirely different evolutionary track into becoming, at least temporarily, self-sustaining through photosynthesis. Setup We collected a large number from the Florida Keys in mid-October 2011. They were brought back to the lab and put in a 20 gallon tank with a large supply of their preferred food, Penicillus capitatus (Neptune’s shaving brush): Sorry to all the aquarium gear junkies, the tank is very simple: an air pump with air stone, power compact lighting and an Aquaclear hang-on-the-back filter for water flow (no media, just a large sponge over the intake to prevent any sea slugs from being sucked into the pump). I didn't want any powerheads so as to avoid chopping up the Elysia. It’s located in a temperature-controlled room set at 80F. We'll be doing water changes weekly. Updates I will be keeping this thread going with updates periodically, thanks for reading! |
10/21/2011, 01:45 AM | #2 |
Moved On
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Simon Bar-Sinistar
Posts: 1,097
|
subscribed ... do your thing
|
10/21/2011, 07:29 AM | #3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,618
|
This sound fascinating, looking forward to the updated.
__________________
Click my home page for Thread Summaries Current Tank Info: 75 gallon lps and fish |
10/21/2011, 07:31 AM | #4 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bushkill, PA
Posts: 3,632
|
Tagging along for the ride.
__________________
Why can't my wife see this stuff as an investment? Current Tank Info: way too much to list, and still adding more! |
10/21/2011, 07:57 AM | #5 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Henderson, NV
Posts: 10
|
Tagging along
|
10/21/2011, 07:58 AM | #6 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Lake Norman, North Carolina
Posts: 700
|
Excellent, I love it when people start thinking!
__________________
Oliver "Live a life uncommon." Current Tank Info: Falcon |
10/21/2011, 08:56 AM | #7 |
Slayer of Mice
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Augusta, Ga
Posts: 1,338
|
aren't those the slugs that eat bryopsis?
__________________
America's best are not in America. Current Tank Info: 140 Gallon DSA in-wall, foam/rock wall, DIY LED, 40g sump, Precision Marine Skimmer, 100 gallon refugium, NO3, PO4,NH3/4 undetectable, Mg, Ca, KH...eeehhhhhh? |
10/21/2011, 09:13 AM | #8 |
I'm a little people
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Over Yonder
Posts: 1,392
|
I love research. I am also a doctoral candidate at UGA.
Subscribed! |
10/21/2011, 09:32 AM | #9 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 839
|
|
10/21/2011, 10:29 AM | #10 |
Moderator
10 & Over Club Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Long Island, NY/North Miami
Posts: 36,538
|
Fun genus of sea slugs. I've had Elysia sp. reproduce for several generations in my old sea grass tanks.
__________________
Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) Current Tank Info: Far too many tanks according to my wife, LOL. |
Tags |
elysia, research, sea slug |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Pink Sea Slug with Flower-Like Ornamentation | CalmSeasQuest | Other Invertebrates | 6 | 10/17/2010 07:16 PM |
Sea hare or Lettuce Sea slug? | einsteins | Reef Discussion | 5 | 02/09/2009 01:02 AM |
sea hare/sea slug | Mappelbaum37 | Reef Discussion | 2 | 04/28/2008 02:24 PM |
Sea Cucumber or Lettuce Sea Slugs??? | saltman123 | Reef Discussion | 7 | 11/25/2007 11:46 PM |
sea hare vs. lettuce sea slug | king7 | Reef Discussion | 5 | 01/16/2006 04:27 PM |