Untersuchungen über die temperaturabhängigkeit des sauerstoffverbrauchs von Crepidula fornicata (Mollusca: Prosobranchia)

The oxygen consumption of the sessile gastropod Crepidula fornicata was measured during autumn 1962 as a function of soft body wet weight (0.04 to 5.2 g) and temperature (2° to 30° C). From the data obtained, the parameters of the allometric formula were derived for describing the relationship between respiration and body size. The parameters were then used for calculating the oxygen consumption of 3 different weight groups (0.1 g, 1.0 g, 10.0 g) at different temperatures. The resulting plot reveals different curves, demonstrating that the influence of temperature on the metabolism of C. fornicata is a function of body size. The ourves relating oxygen consumption to temperature may well be described by a modified Arrhenius-function proposed some years ago (Krüger, 1962). Biological temperature curves may be described by growth functions. Therefore, it is possible to apply the simple Walfordplot for identifying the “normal curves” of Krogh (1914).