Some Observations Upon the Distribution of Strontium in Four Species of Ophiuroids – Ophiocomina Nigra (Abildgaard), Ophiura Albida (Forbes), Ophiothrix Suensoni (Lütken) and Ophioderma Cinereum (Müller and Troschel)

Abstract

Strontium was shown to occur in marine organisms in the early part of the nineteenth century (Moretti, 1813; Vogel, 1914). However, since early detection methods have relied upon chemical separation, accurate quantitative determination of small amounts of strontium, has presented many difficulties due to the chemical similarity of strontium and calcium. During the last 30 years a number of relatively sensitive methods have been developed (Smales, 1951; Thompson & Chow, 1955; Bowen, 1956; Hummel & Smales, 1956; Odum, 1957b; Sugawara & Kawasaki, 1958; Culkin & Cox, 1966; Riley & Segar, 1970; Gibbs & Bryan, 1972). Towards the beginning of this period, Vinogradov (1953) made an extensive review of the chemical data on the marine biota. Due to the limitations mentioned above there was relatively little information available on the occurrence of strontium.