INSIGHTS INTO SHELL DEPOSITION IN THE ANTARCTIC BIVALVE LATERNULA ELLIPTICA: GENE DISCOVERY IN THE MANTLE TRANSCRIPTOME USING 454 PYROSEQUENCING

Abstract Background The Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica, is an infaunal stenothermal bivalve mollusc with a circumpolar distribution.It plays a significant role in bentho-pelagic coupling and hence has been proposed as a sentinel species for climate change monitoring.Previous studies have shown that this mollusc displays a high level of plastic