Anatomical and experimental evidence for particulate feeding in Lucinoma aequizonata and Parvilucina tenuisculpta (Bivalvia: Lucinidae) from the Santa Barbara Basin

Previous nutritional models for adults of the lucinid bivalve Lucinoma aequizonata contend that symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria provide most of the organic carbon for the host. The existence of this symbiosis, coupled with the host's distinctive anatomical features, shaped the impression that particulate feeding was not a significant part of L. aequizonata nutrition. Here, we use several techniques to show that particulate feeding is a consistent and important part of the L. aequizonata nutritional strategy. Histological and scanning electron microscopy observations reveal that the gills of L. aequizonata, like those of the lucinid Parvilucina tenuisculpta, have functional mucociliary epithelia, able to transport captured particles to the mouth. Observations of gut content and radiolabeled feeding experiments indicate that L. aequizonata does ingest and assimilate carbon from particulate organic matter. Furthermore, molecular identification of a broad spectrum of organisms in the guts of native adult specimens demonstrates that L. aequizonata is non-selective when ingesting organic material, and has a mixotrophic diet.