Ciliary Activity of the Oyster

Abstract

Ostrea elongata is shown to possess limited powers of temperature adaptation during cold weather, feeding at 5[degree]C, or 2[degree] below the minimum found by Galtsoff for oysters in the summer. Galt-soff''s finding of 20 hours of activity per day for oysters in an aquarium agrees with the published data of the author for oysters in their native surrounding. This agreement indicates that the average daily period of closure of 4 hours represents a minimum of physiological activity dictated by the needs of the organism.