@article {3921,
	title = {Hydromineral regulation in the hydrothermal vent crab Bythograea thermydron.},
	journal = {Biol Bull},
	volume = {201},
	year = {2001},
	month = {2001 Oct},
	pages = {167-74},
	abstract = {<p>This study investigates the salinity tolerance and the pattern of osmotic and ionic regulation of Bythograea thermydron Williams, 1980, a brachyuran crab endemic to the deep-sea hydrothermal vent habitat. Salinities of 33 per thousand-35 per thousand were measured in the seawater surrounding the captured specimens. B. thermydron is a marine stenohaline osmoconformer, which tolerates salinities ranging between about 31 per thousand and 42 per thousand. The time of osmotic adaptation after a sudden decrease in external salinity is about 15-24 h, which is relatively short for a brachyuran crab. In the range of tolerable salinities, it exhibits an iso-osmotic regulation, which is not affected by changes in hydrostatic pressure, and an iso-ionic regulation for Na(+) and Cl(-). The hemolymph Ca(2+) concentration is slightly hyper-regulated, K(+) concentration is slightly hyper-hypo-regulated, and Mg(2+) concentration is strongly hypo-regulated. These findings probably reflect a high permeability of the teguments to water and ions. In addition to limited information about salinity around hydrothermal vents, these results lead to the hypothesis that B. thermydron lives in a habitat of stable seawater salinity. The osmoconformity of this species is briefly discussed in relation to its potential phylogeny.</p>
},
	keywords = {Animals, Brachyura, Chlorides, Hemolymph, Pacific Ocean, Sodium, Water-Electrolyte Balance},
	issn = {0006-3185},
	author = {Anne-Sophie Martinez and Toullec, Jean-Yves and Bruce Shillito and Charmantier-Daures, Mireille and Charmantier, Guy}
}
