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1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Diversity and adaptive strategy of submarine cave faunas

Research Project

Project/Area Number 07640937
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 系統・分類
Research InstitutionKanagawa University

Principal Investigator

HAYAMI Itaru  Faculty of Science, Kanagawa University Professor, 理学部, 教授 (80037184)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KASE Tomoki  National Science Museum, 地学研究部, 室長 (20124183)
Project Period (FY) 1995 – 1997
KeywordsSubmarine cave / Diversity / Mollusca / Adaptive strategy / Paedomorphosis / Low food level
Research Abstract

This study aims to clarify the diversity and adaptive strategy of cryptic faunas (especially cavernicolus molluscs) in a wide area of the tropical western Pacific from Japan to Micronesia and Polynesia. Research of several domestic caves and indoor studies of domestic and foreign samples (living organisms and substrates obtained from numerous caves) have been carried out with this Grant-in-Aid.
As the result of our observation and identification of minute molluscs, species composition of bivalves in each cave and their geographic distribution were elucidated. More than 100 cavernicolous bivalves were identified. Remarkable and unique features of these bivalves are the minute size, paedomorphosis, K-selection, similarity to deep-sea species, large egg size, low fecundity, dominance of brooding species, and ecological primitiveness.
These features are certainly related to one another and could have resulted from a common adaptive strategy to cavernicolous environments. Low food levels must be the most important controlling factors. Though many problems (especially the process of speciation and migration) remain unsolved, the characteristics of cave bivalves generally suggest the type of adaptive strategy that could be advantageous, when extreme oligotrophic conditions prevail in the world.

  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All Other

All Publications (4 results)

  • [Publications] Hayami, I, and Kase, T.: "Characteristics of submarine cave bivalves in the northwestern Pacific" American Malacological Bulletin. 12・1-2. 59-65 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 速水 格: "二枚貝類の体サイズ変化と大量絶滅の要因に関する-仮説" 化石(日本古生物学会刊). 62. 24-36 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 奥谷 喬司(編): "貝のミラクル 軟体動物の最新学" 東海大学出版会, 350 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Hayami, I.and Kase, T.: "Characteristics of submarine cave bivalves in the northwestern Pacific." American Malacological Bulletin. vol.12, no.1-2. 59-65 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 1999-03-16  

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