Glucose-Tolerance in the Pond Snail Lymnaea Stagnalis as Affected By Temperature and Starvation

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Abstract
In the present study glucose-tolerance experiments were performed with specimens of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, acclimatized at various temperatures from 8-25° C, and with snails, acclimatized at 19° C, which were starved during 14 days. Injected glucose (150 ug per snail) does not alter the amount of carbohydrates present in the high molecular and in the low molecular (except glucose) fractions of the haemolymph. The injection procedure causes a slight hyperglycaemia. The in- jected glucose is removed rapidly from the haemolymph. The rate of removal is temperature dependent, the half-times varying from 58 min at 8° C till 11 min at 25° C. However, there is a considerable difference in the t -1 2-values of snails acclima- tized at 8 or 14° C (very low reproductive activity and growth) and 19 or 25° C (active reproduction and growth). From this difference it is suggested that repro- ductive activity and, to a lesser extent, growth are important processes in the removal of glucose from the haemolymph. This is corroborated by the observation that starved snails (no reproduction and growth) show larger t -1 2 values than fed snails, when both groups are kept at 19° C. Under these circumstances, half of the injected amount of glucose removed from the haemolymph is used for processes relat°d to reproduction and growth. It is suggested that an increasing glucose concentration in the haemolymph stimulates the release of hormones, involved in the control of reproduction and growth.

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