Ridgeia piscesaefrom a hydrothermal vent and lucinid and thyasirid bivalves from inshore Canadian and UK waters, known to contain sulphur-oxidizing symbiotic bacteria, had lipids rich in 16:0,16:l(n-7) and 18:l(n-7) fatty acids in both bacteria-rich trophosome or gill tissue and in tissues without symbiotic bacteria. The results are consistent with the animals deriving these fatty acids from their sulphur-oxidizing symbionts.Ridgeia piscesae, Lucinoma annulata, Parvilucina tenuisculpta, Lucinoma borealisandMyrtea spiniferaalso contained substantial amounts of the non-methylene-interrupted dienoic fatty acids 20:2δ5,13 and 22:2δ7,15. It is proposed that these fatty acids are produced by chain elongation and δ5 desaturation in animal tissues of 18:l(n-7) produced by the bacterial symbionts.Thyasira flexuosadid not contain 20:2δ5,13 or 22:2δ7,15 but instead contained 18:l(n-ll) and 20:l(n-13) which were not present in the other species analysed. It is proposed that 18:l(n-ll) and 20:l(n-13) arise from the δ9 desaturation of 20:0 and 22:0, respectively, followed by chain shortening of the mono-unsaturated fatty acid products of δ9 desaturation. It is considered that 20:2δ5,13 and 22:2δ7,15 are formed in the animals in response to a relative excess of 16:0, 16:l(n-7) and 18:l(n-7), accompanied by a relative deficiency of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids. The results are discussed in relation to the lipid nutrition of marine invertebrates containing bacterial symbionts.
Growth and longevity of the tubeworm Ridgeia piscesae in the variable diffuse flow habitats of the Juan de Fuca Ridge
