Calliopaea bellula feeding upon egg-masses of Haminoea orbignyana: oophagy among opisthobranch molluscs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2006
Abstract
Calliopaea bellula, a sacoglossan opisthobranch, was recently found in the Ria Formosa, a coastal lagoon in southern Portugal feeding upon eggs of the cephalaspidean opisthobranch Haminoea orbignyana, the second most abundant gastropod inhabiting the sea grass habitats in the lagoon. The feeding behaviour of C. bellula is described together with photographic images of this process. Egg-masses of other common opisthobranch species collected in the Ria Formosa were also offered, but they were always rejected. This is the first known case of predation on eggs of H. orbignyana.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 86 , Issue 2 , April 2006 , pp. 423 - 424
- Copyright
- 2006 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
- 4
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