RNA-sequencing Indicates High Hemocyanin Expression as a Key Strategy for Cold Adaptation in the Antarctic Amphipod Eusirus cf. giganteus Clade g3

We here report the de novo transcriptome assembly and functional annotation of Eusirus cf. giganteus clade g3, providing the first database of expressed sequences from this giant Antarctic amphipod. RNA-sequencing, carried out on the whole-body of a single juvenile individual likely undergoing molting, revealed the dominant expression of hemocyanins. The mRNAs encoding these oxygen-binding proteins cumulatively accounted for about 40% of the total transcriptional effort, highlighting the key biological importance of high hemocyanin production in this Antarctic amphipod species. We speculate that this observation may mirror a strategy previously described in Antarctic cephalopods, which compensate the decreased ability to release oxygen to peripheral tissues at sub-zero temperatures by massively increasing total blood hemocyanin content compared with temperate species. These preliminary results will undoubtedly require confirmation through proteomic and biochemical analyses aimed at characterizing the oxygen-binding properties of E. cf. giganteus clade g3 hemocyanins, and at investigating whether other Antarctic arthropod species exploit similar adaptations to cope with the challenges posed by the extreme conditions of the polar environment.

Can mandible morphology help predict feeding habits in Antarctic amphipods?

In Antarctica, amphipods form a highly diverse group, occupy many different ecological niches and hold an important place in food webs. Here, we aimed to test whether differences in Antarctic amphipod feeding habits were reflected in their mandible morphology, and if mouthpart specialization could be used to describe amphipod trophic ecology. To do so, we compared mandible morphology in nine species spanning seven families and five functional groups (grazers, suspension feeders, generalist predators, specialist predators and scavengers). Mandible morphology adequately depicted some aspects of amphipod trophic ecology, such as the trophic level at which animals feed or their degree of dietary specialization. On the other hand, links between mandible morphology and amphipod diet were seldom unambiguous or straightforward. Similar adaptations were found in distinct functional groups. Conversely, mandible morphology could vary within a single functional group, and phylogenetic effects sometimes complicated the interpretation of form-function relationships. Overall, mandible morphology on its own was generally not sufficient to precisely predict amphipod feeding strategies. However, when combined with other methods (e.g. gut contents, trophic markers), it constitutes a valuable source of information for integrative studies of amphipod ecological diversity in the Southern Ocean.

OXYGEN CONSUMPTION AND AMMONIA EXCRETION OF THE ANTARCTIC AMPHIPOD Bovallia gigantea PFEFFER, 1888, AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES AND SALINITIES

The energy budget of Antarctic stenothermic and/or stenohaline ectotherms is modulated by variations of temperature and salinity. The joint effects of these latter on polar organisms have been but little studied. Data on this subject are of great importance for an understanding of the energy demand of Antarctic animals such as amphipods, especially when considering their ecological importance and the possible impacts of global changes. Experiments were carried out at the Brazilian Antarctic Station "Comandante Ferraz" under controlled conditions. Specimens of Bovallia gigantea were collected in Admiralty Bay and acclimated to temperatures of 0ºC; 2.5ºC and 5ºC and to salinities of 35, 30 and 25. Thirty measurements were taken for each of the nine possible combinations of the three temperatures and the three salinities. Metabolic rates were assessed based on oxygen consumption and total ammonia nitrogenous excretion in sealed respirometers. At 0ºC and 2.5ºC, the metabolic rates of the animals that were acclimated to salinities of 30 or 35 were similar, indicating a possible mechanism of metabolic independence of temperature. However, the metabolic rates were always higher at 5.0ºC. The effects of temperature on oxygen consumption and on ammonia excretion rates were intensified by lower salinities. Individuals of B gigantea have a temperature-independent metabolic rate within a narrow temperature window that can be modified in accordance with salinity.