Gill structure in Lucina pectinata (Bivalvia: Lucinidae) with reference to hemoglobin in bivalves with symbiotic sulphur-oxidizing bacteria

Lucina pectinata is a large tropical Lucinidae which is characterized by abundant tissue hemoglobin in its deep-red gills. In the present paper, hemoglobin is described as being located in cytoplasmic dark patches of the bacteriocytes together with a cystine-rich protein. Large microbodies contain a non-hemoglobin heme-compound which is identified with a previously described non-protein-bound hematin; however, it has not been established whether this heme is involved in a sulphur-oxidizing system or represents a catabolic by-product of hemoglobin. Electron-lucent vesicles are associated with the basal microbodies but their function is, so far, unknown. In addition, the bacteriocytes have been observed to have direct contact with sea water, modulated by large intercalary cells which overlap the bacteriocytes on their margin. Such relationships between bacteriocytes and intercalary cells, as well as their cytological features, are different from those observed in lucinid species inhabiting sea-grass beds, but very similar to those observed in Calyptogena magnifica. From the congruence between the shallow-water Lucinidae L. pectinata, inhabiting mangrove swamps, and the deep-sea Vesicomyidae C. magnifica, found at hydrothermal vents, we conclude that such features are likely to be adaptative to high-sulphide environments, notwithstanding the phylogenetic distance.