UPTAKE OF ORGANIC MATERIAL BY AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES. I. UPTAKE OF GLUCOSE BY THE SOLITARY CORAL, FUNGIA SCUTARIA

Abstract

Uniformly labelled glucose-Cl4 was employed to provide evidence for the uptake of glucose from dilute solution in sea water. The rate of uptake is a function of concentration at ambient concentrations below 20 mg/l. It is maximal and independent of concentration above 40 mg/1. The maximum rate of uptake is 1.2 mg/hour/-individual for animals weighing 30 to 45 g. The rate of uptake is independent of light intensity and is not modified when the mouth of the organism is plugged with soft paraffin. At the observed rate of uptake, ambient concentrations of 12.5 to 15 mg/1 can provide sufficient glucose to support the observed oxygen consumption. The uptake of several other small organic compounds is reported briefly and the significance of these observations discussed.