Chloroplast digestion and the development of functional kleptoplasty in juvenile Elysia timida (Risso, 1818) as compared to short-term and non-chloroplast-retaining sacoglossan slugs
Fig 4
Functional chloroplast abundance during starvation for each age group (DPM).
The average juvenile longevity is shown by the black dotted lines. A–Each juvenile El. timida (n = 10), aged 4 days post-metamorphosis (DPM) was measured daily to determine the decrease in functional chloroplast abundance throughout the starvation period until death. The green star indicates an animal that died within the first 24 hours and could not be represented by a line. B–The longevity of each juvenile El. timida specimen aged 10 DPM (n = 10). The green and blue stars indicate individual animals that died within the first 24 hours and could not be represented by a line. C– 15 DPM juvenile longevities in starvation (n = 10). D– 25 DPM individual longevities in starvation (n = 10). E–The average chloroplast abundance for each age group depicted in A-D, plotted together for comparison with the same axes scaling. F–Functional chloroplast abundance in starved and starved then reintroduced to food El. timida juveniles of each age group for each time point surveyed. Juveniles of each age group were starved and their functional chloroplast abundances recorded at 0, 3, 7, 10, 15 and 25 in starvation. Additional animals were re-introduced to food and allowed to feed for 2 hours before their chloroplast abundances were recorded. 4 DPM juveniles are indicated by diamonds: red for starved and pink for starved-then-fed; 10 DPM juveniles are shown by circles: purple for starved and lavender for starved-then-fed; 15 DPM juveniles are denoted by squares, dark blue for starved and light blue for starved-then-fed; 25 DPM juveniles are designated with triangles: dark green for starved and light green for starved-then-fed.