Filtration Rates of Tropical Freshwater Bivalve Mollusks: Pilsbryoconcha excilis compressa, Ensidens ingallsianus ingallsianus, Corbicula boudoni and Corbicula moreletiana

Abstract

Filtration rates of four species of freshwater bivalve mollusks collected from Thai waters were measured in laboratory. Average filtration rates of Ensidens ingallsianus ingallsianus, Pilsbryoconcha excilis compressa, Corbicula boudoni and Corbicula moreletiana were 0.320, 0.322, 0.957 and 0.862 L/h/individual, 0.015, 0.025, 0.124 and 0.114 L/h/g total wet weight, and 0.326, 0.652, 5.107 and 3.817 L/h/d dry meat weight, respectively. Average filtration rates per individual and average filtration rates per gram biomass of both Corbicula species were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of Ensidens ingallsianus ingallsianus and Pilsbryoconcha excilis compressa.  Average filtration rates per individual of C. boudoni and C. moreletiana were 3.0 and 2.7 times that of E. ingallsianus ingallsianus and P. excilis compressa. Average filtration rate per gram total wet weight of C. boudoni and C. moreletiana were 8.3 and 5.0, and 7.6 and 4.6 times that of E. ingallsianus ingallsianus and P. excilis compressa. Considering their filtration capability, C. boudoni and C. moreletiana seem to have a higher potential to be used for the remediation of eutrophic water bodies and eutrophic aquaculture ponds. However, more detail studies of these bivalve species regarding population dynamics and their ability to live in polluted waters are needed in order to verify their suitability as bioremediators.