IntroductionBivalve molluscs are among the most prominent coastal benthic-suspension-feeders and their farming is the largest and fastest-growing sector of aquaculture. More than a century of intensive laboratory studies (but surprisingly few in-situ studies) has yielded the consensus view that bivalves mainly capture particles >4µm. Nonetheless, bivalves thrive throughout the world’s oceans that are mostly oligotrophic, characterized by low food concentration and dominated by minute autotrophic picoplankton (<2 µm).MethodWe measured, in situ, the capture efficiency of naturally occurring planktonic cells by five suspension-feeding bivalve species from four families and three orders, residing in two oligotrophic basins: the Red Sea and the East Mediterranean Sea.ResultsThree species captured micron and submicron autotrophic cells with high efficiency (60-90%), suggesting a wider trophic niche than hitherto believed. In contrast, two sympatric species captured mainly particles >10 µm.DiscussionThese results suggest that the same basic anatomical tool kit, variably modulated according to taxa, habitat, or life history traits, enables the remarkable evolutionary and ecological success of bivalves in trophically-diverse habitats.

中文翻译：

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以最小的细胞为食：双壳类软体动物从贫营养水域捕获微型浮游生物的原位研究

简介双壳类软体动物是最突出的沿海底栖悬垂饲养者之一，它们的养殖是水产养殖中规模最大、增长最快的部门。一个多世纪的密集实验室研究（但令人惊讶的是很少就地studies) 得出的共识是双壳类主要捕获大于 4µm 的颗粒。尽管如此，双壳类动物在世界各地的海洋中繁衍生息，这些海洋大多是贫营养的，其特征是食物浓度低，并且以微小的自养微型浮游生物（<2 µm）为主。方法我们测量了，就地, 生活在红海和东地中海这两个贫营养盆地的四科三目五种悬浮食性双壳贝类对天然存在的浮游细胞的捕获效率。结果三种捕获微米级和亚微米级自养细胞的效率很高( 60-90%), 这表明比迄今为止认为的更广泛的营养生态位。相比之下，两个同域物种主要捕获大于 10 µm 的颗粒。讨论这些结果表明，相同的基本解剖工具包，根据分类群、栖息地或生活史特征进行可变调制，使双壳类动物在营养上取得显着的进化和生态成功-多样化的栖息地。