Responses of Asterias Rubens to Olfactory Stimuli
01 Aug 1970-Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (Cambridge University Press (CUP))-Vol. 50, Iss: 3, pp 829-847
TL;DR: In 1883 Romanes first demonstrated the capacity of starfish to detect the presence of food by holding a piece of crab an inch or two from the end of one of the arms, and concluded that if the food was not more than a few inches away the starfish could smell it and move towards it.
Abstract: In 1883 Romanes first demonstrated the capacity of starfish to detect the presence of food. He claimed to be able to lead them in any direction by holding a piece of crab an inch or two from the end of one of the arms. He concluded that if the food was not more than a few inches away the starfish could smell it and move towards it. Milligan (1915 a-c) observed that Asterias rubens moved towards a dead pipefish from distances of 1½ in to 2 ft., and emphasized that the determined movement left no doubt that the starfish could smell the fish. Regnart (1928) found that A. rubens could locate food hidden in a bait chamber, moving away from the aerator in the centre of the tank.
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TL;DR: This paper provides an exhaustive review of the literature on the responses of prey to predator chemosensory cues, primarily in tabular form, and highlights the most important studies on predator activity level and diet.
Abstract: It is well documented that animals take risk of predation into account when making decisions about how to behave in particular situations, often trading-off risk against opportunities for mating or acquiring energy. Such an ability implies that animals have reliable information about the risk of predation at a given place and time. Chemosensory cues are an important source of such information. They reliably reveal the presence of predators (or their presence in the immediate past) and may also provide information on predator activity level and diet. In certain circumstances (e.g., in the dark, for animals in hiding) they may be the only cues available. Although a vast literature exists on the responses of prey to predator chemosensory cues (or odours), these studies are widely scattered, from marine biology to biological control, and not well known or appreciated by behavioural ecologists. In this paper, we provide an exhaustive review of this literature, primarily in tabular form. We highlight so...
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TL;DR: This chapter explains why animals are found in certain habitats and not in others, and it is restricted to a consideration of habitat selection by marine and freshwater invertebrates as revealed by experimental analysis.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on habitat selection by aquatic invertebrates. It explains why animals are found in certain habitats and not in others, and it is restricted to a consideration of habitat selection by marine and freshwater invertebrates as revealed by experimental analysis. Habitat selection is essentially the relationship between behavior and environment, and it largely determines the local distribution of animal species. On the larger scale of geographical distribution, it is as yet uncertain how important habitat selection is, although it almost certainly plays a significant role. The chapter discusses the physical and chemical environment of intertidal animals, marine animals, freshwater animals, and interstitial animals. The reactions of animals to their biological environment and the part these play in habitat selection are very varied. Animals are continuously assessing the suitability of their environment and moving from place to place so that they can take best advantage of the range of conditions available to them. The behavioral mechanisms by which animals select their habitats, light reactions, gravity responses, gregariousness, and so on, have been covered in the chapter. Habitat preferences may remain fixed throughout the life span of an animal, or they may alter depending upon its physiological state, its age, its previous experience and learning, or its past and present environment. The marked variation in behavior shown by individuals of some species has been discussed along with the possible ways in which animals may colonize new habitats and to the part habitat selection might play in the origin of new species.
352 citations
TL;DR: Data support the view that S. drobachiensis has evolved a feeding strategy resulting in the maximization of growth and reproduction, and food preference was not correlated with caloric content but, because of higher feeding rates on preferred foods, caloric intake was positively correlated with preference.
Abstract: The sea urchin strongylocentrotus drobachiensis exhibited a high degree of food selectivity, whether foods were presented singly or in combination. Foods ranked from most to least preferred were, in summer, Laminaria longicruris, Chondrus crispus, Corallina officinalis, Ascophyllum nodosum, and Agarum cribrosum, whereas in winter A. nodosum and A. cribrosum exchanged ranks. Food preference was not correlated with caloric content but, because of higher feeding rates on preferred foods, caloric intake was positively correlated with preference. Similarly, food absorption rankings were not correlated with food preference, with the exception of gravimetric efficiencies in winter. However, the absorption of L. longicruris, the most preferred alga, was highest in all measurements. Growth and reproductive development of S. drobachiensis on single species diets were positively correlated with food preference. Highest values occurred with animals fed L. longicruris. Urchins transferred from non-preferred to preferred diets showed increased somatic and reproductive growth compared to control animals on the original, non-preferred diets. Conversely, when transferred from preferred to non-preferred diets, urchins showed reduced growth compared to controls. No combination diet tested supported significantly better gonadal growth than L. longicruris: 25% C. crispus supported slightly better somatic growth than L. longicruris alone. These data support the view that S. drobachiensis has evolved a feeding strategy resulting in the maximization of growth and reproduction.
196 citations
TL;DR: On examine, au laboratoire, les interactions (sans contact) de G. p.
Abstract: On examine, au laboratoire, les interactions (sans contact) de G. p. avec des individus de sa propre espece et avec des predateurs ou non-predateurs vivant au sein de la biocenose des cours d'eau dans lesquels il vit, dans le sud de l'Ontario
124 citations
TL;DR: Despite its notoriety, population densities of Acanthaster planci (L.) on most flourishing reefs in the Indo-West Pacific are low, and these starfish were usually separated into small subgroups of up to fifteen animals, associated with favoured species of corals and provided shelter from daylight.
Abstract: IN spite of its notoriety, population densities of Acanthaster planci (L.) on most flourishing reefs in the Indo-West Pacific are low. It is possible, however, to find reefs in the region which support aggregations of hundreds or thousands of this starfish1–8. In the Sudanese Red Sea we usually found A. planci densities of 5 to 20 per km of reef face, but on four reefs aggregations of several hundreds within a few hundred metres were studied9. These starfish were not evenly distributed but were usually separated into small subgroups of up to fifteen animals. Such subgroups tended to be associated with favoured species of corals, such as Goniastrea, Turbinaria, Montipora and tabular Acropora spp., whose shapes allowed several individuals to feed together and provided shelter from daylight.
86 citations
References
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TL;DR: The food of the bottom fauna of the Plymouth fishing-grounds, at an average depth of 27 fathoms, has been investigated by the examination of the stomach contents of animals, both fresh and preserved, and supplemented by observation of living animals in aquaria.
Abstract: 1. The food of the bottom fauna of the Plymouth fishing-grounds, at an average depth of 27 fathoms, lias been investigated. This has been done by the examination of the stomach contents of animals, both fresh and preserved, and supplemented by observation of living animals in aquaria.2. The sources of food have been discussed. Attention is drawn to the importance in these regions, not so much of organic detritus, which is considered by Petersen and Blegvad to be the only important ultimate supply in Danish waters, but of the contributions from the plankton itself and from the considerable microflora and microfauna inhabiting the bottom deposits.3. Petersen and Boysen Jensen have stated that the detritus present in Danish waters can be traced almost entirely to the annual decay of the Zostera beds. The area occupied by Zostera in Plymouth waters is very smalLin.comparison with that in the Danish fjords and the detritus found here, though considerable in quantity, and in appearance much as described by Petersen, must originate largely from other sources. The possible1 sources of origin apart from land-sources are the coastal Algse and the plankton. A consideration of the annual production of each of these' suggests that the plankton is the more important factor.4. Blegvad has classified marine animals according to their food into Herbivores, Carnivores, and Detritus-eaters, but this classification does not fit the conditions in the area here studied and is not therefore of general application. Herbivores are absent from these grounds, and few of the animals could be described strictly as detritus-eaters. The animals fall into the following natural groups, according to their food and the mode and location of their feeding:—A. Carnivores—Animals which feed mainly upon other animals, either living or as carrion.B. Suspension-feeders—Animals which feed by selecting from the surrounding water the suspended micro-organisms and detritus.C. Deposit-feeders—Animals which feed upon the detritus deposited on the bottom, together with its associated micro-organisms.5. Following the preceding classification the food of the common animals of the Plymouth fishing-grounds has been described briefly.
225 citations
14 Mar 2013
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TL;DR: The reactions of specimens of Nassarius obsoletus exposed individually to controlled laboratory stimuli are as follows: Nassarius shows a light-compass reaction, but no optomotor response, and mud snails accumulate on those richest in diatoms and bacteria.
Abstract: The reactions of specimens of Nassarius obsoletus exposed individually to controlled laboratory stimuli are as follows:1. Nassarius shows a light-compass reaction, but no optomotor response.2. On damp slopes Nassarius moves downhill. Submerged Nassarius is generally geonegative but its response is altered by a nearby light source.3. In clean seawater Nassarius moves downstream.4. Addition of effluents from damaged animal tissues or from mud causes a reversal of rheotaxis.5. A small but significant upstreaming response is elicited by water of raised oxygen concentration.6. The upstreaming response to olfactory stimuli can be abolished when unfavorable stimuli (hypo-or hypersalinity) are simultaneously present.7. Water which has passed over living, intact Nassarius is attractive to other individuals of the species Nassarius, the attraction not being due to faeces.8. When simultaneously presented with substrates of different kinds, mud snails accumulate on those richest in diatoms and bacteria.9. The behavio...
79 citations
TL;DR: It was concluded that Asterias is not such a serious enemy of the oyster as was previously supposed, and that under certain conditions, its presence may be beneficial to oyster culture.
Abstract: Laboratory and field observations were made on the food and feeding of the starfish in relation to its role as a predator on oyster beds in the rivers of Essex, particularly in the river Crouch.Asterias rubens was found most likely to be associated with large numbers of Crepidula, the most serious competitor of the oyster.Laboratory experiments showed that although Asterias occasionally ate spat and adult oysters, the greater part of its food was made up of organisms which are competitors of the oyster. The smaller sizes of Asterias ate large numbers of barnacles, with occasional spat of oysters and Crepidula. The larger occasionally ate oysters and oyster spat, but almost always exhibited a preference for mussels and, in the absence of these, for Crepidula, and sometimes even for Urosalpinx.Some observations were made on the method and rate of feeding and distribution of Asterias and Solaster papposus, and certain aspects of the feeding behaviour of the stone crab, Hyas araneus.It was concluded that Asterias is not such a serious enemy of the oyster as was previously supposed, and that under certain conditions, its presence may be beneficial to oyster culture.
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