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Biochemical Correlates Of Estivation Tolerance In The Mountainsnail Oreohelix (Pulmonata: Oreohelicidae), Bernard Rees

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Biochemical changes occurring over 7 months of estivation were studied in two species of land snail, Oreohelix strigosa (Gould) and 0. subrudis (Reeve), to determine whether differential mortality during estivation is related to different energetic strategies. Laboratory- maintained snails, which were fed ad libitum prior to es- tivation, were compared with snails collected from the field and induced to estivate without augmenting their energy reserves. In all groups, polysaccharide was catab- olized early in estivation, and protein was the primary metabolic substrate after polysaccharide reserves were de- pleted. Lipid was catabolized at a low rate throughout estivation. Rates of catabolism …