Express transport of particles in the stolon of the colonial hydroid Dynamena pumila (L., 1758)

Biology Bulletin Reviews. 2023. Vol. 13. No. 1. P. 9–19.

V. S. Dementyev, Marfenin N.

In the article, the efficiency (range and volume) of the transport of food particles suspended in hydroplasm along the stolon of the colonial hydroid Dynamena pumila inhabiting the littoral is determined with respect to four environmental factors: the temperature (10, 15, 20, 25, 28°С), salinity (26, 20, 15, 10‰), air exposure (duration 5, 10, 20, 30 min), and the presence or absence of water exchange. The capacity for efficient transport is determined based on the estimated length of local hydroplasma flows that form a chain continuous integral hydroplasmic flows. Local flows covering one or two stolon modules are theoretically sufficient for the generation of joint extended hydroplasmic flows and are thus equally represented for almost all values of the studied environmental factors, except for 28°C and 10‰. This means that the transport system of D. pumila is equally effective in a wide range of temperature and salinity changes, as well as during extended air exposure and the maintenance of colonies in stagnant water. The highest efficiency of colony integration is achieved at 15–20°С, 26–20‰ and after air exposure for 5–10 min. In terms of the degree of integration, there is almost no difference in the number of colonies in nonflowing and flowing conditions. The transfer of colonies from one cuvette with water to another does not affect the intensity of the hydroplasmic flow system.

Keywords: distribution system, non-centralization, нецентрализованные биологические системы, модульные организмы, децентрализованные организмы, распределительная система, гидроплазматические течения, Гидроиды, hydrozoa