Chloroplasts as Functional Organelles in Animal Tissues

The marine gastropod molluscs Tridachia crispata, Tridachiella diomedea, and Placobranchus ianthobapsus (Sacoglossa, Opisthobranchia) possess free functional chloroplasts within the cells of the digestive diverticula, as determined by observations on ultrastructure, pigment analyses, and experiments on photosynthetic capacity. In the light, the chloroplasts incorporate H(14)CO(3) (-)in situ. Reduced radiocarbon is translocated to various chloroplast-free tissues in the animals. The slugs feed on siphonaceous algae from which the chloroplasts are derived. Pigments from the slugs and from known siphonaceous algae, when separated chromatographically and compared, showed similar components. Absorption spectra of extracts of slugs and algae were very similar. The larvae of the slugs are pigment-free up to the post-veliger stage, suggesting that chloroplasts are acquired de novo. with each new generation.