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The Ligament of Mya Arenaria (Myoidea) Revisited

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Antonio G. Checa  and
Gerhard C. Cadée
Antonio G. Checa
Affiliation:
Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain.
Gerhard C. Cadée
Affiliation:
Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 Ab Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
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Extract

The ligament of the bivalve Mya arenaria was previously described as being composed of two layers: a fibrous and a lamellar one, the fibrous layer being more extensive. Other features described, such as the three-dimensional extent of the layers and their mode of attachment to the chondrophores, have been found to be inaccurate to a certain extent. The ligament is therefore redescribed here. It is conical in appearance and attached to the left chondrophore only at its margin, its interior being occupied by an epithelium, which is an extension of the mantle isthmus. The lamellar layer is a pyramidal body which merges into and constitutes the posterior extension of the fibrous layer. The whole structure is internal and may rotate around the dorsoventral axis, thus being suited to allow rocking of the valves. This kind of movement is used when Mya contracts the anterior adductor muscle to eject water from the mantle cavity during burrowing. In this respect the ligament is unique among those known in bivalves.

Type
Short Communications
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , November 1997 , pp. 1231 - 1233
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1997

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References

Checa, A.G. & Cadée, G.C., 1997. Hydraulic burrowing in the bivalve Mya arenaria Linnaeus (Myoidea) and associated ligamental adaptions. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 63, 157–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yonge, C.M., 1951. Studies on Pacific coast mollusks. II. Structure and adaptations for rock boring in Platyodon cancellatus (Conrad). University of California Publications in Zoology, 55, 401–407.Google Scholar
Yonge, C.M., 1982. Ligamental structure in Mactracea and Myacea (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 62, 171–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar