Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T14:48:37.220Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The feeding behaviour of the featherstar Antedon bifida (Echinodermata: Crinoidea)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Robert W. La Touche
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Trinity College, Dublin

Extract

The ecology and feeding behaviour of Antedon bifida bifida (Pennant) were studied in situ at five sites on the east and west coasts of Ireland. These encompassed a range of different habitats and hydrographic conditions, including currents of varying intensity, oscillations due to wave action, and multidirectional water movements.

Unlike other comatulids hitherto studied, this species was found to be relatively unspecialized in its choice of habitat and to display great flexibility of movement in its arms and pinnules which enable it to adapt to and feed in each of the different types of water movements described. Neither diurnal nor tidal feeding rhythms were observed, the animals being found to feed almost continuously. The relatively unspecialized nature of this species is discussed in relation to the almost cosmopolitan distribution of the genus Antedon.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Boaden, P. J. S., O'connor, R. J. & Seed, R. 1975. The composition and zonation of a Fucus serratus community in Strangford Lough, Co. Down. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 17, 111136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chadwick, H. C., 1907. Antedon. L.M.B.C. Memoirs on Typical British Marine Plants and Animals, 15, 47 pp.Google Scholar
Clark, A. H. & Clark, A. M., 1967. A monograph of the existing crinoids. Bulletin. United States National Museum, 82 (1), pt. 5, 860 pp.Google Scholar
Clark, H. L., 1915. The comatulids of Torres Strait: with special reference to their habits and reactions. Papersfrom the Department of Marine Biology of the Carnegie Institution of Washing ton, 8, 97125Google Scholar
Clark, H. L., 1917. The habits and reactions of a comatulid, Tropiometra carinata. Papers from the Department of Marine Biology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 11, 111119.Google Scholar
Fishelson, L., 1968. Gamete shedding behaviour of the featherstar Lamprometra klunzingeri in its natural habitat. Nature, London, 219, 1063.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fishelson, L., 1974. Ecology of the northern Red Sea crinoids and their epi – and endozoic fauna. Marine Biology, 26, 183192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GislÉn, T., 1924. Echinoderm studies. Zoologiska bidrag från Uppsala, 9, 316 pp.Google Scholar
Hyman, L. H., 1955. The Invertebrates, vol. 4. Echinodermata. 763 pp. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Macurda, D. B., 1973. Ecology of comatulid crinoids at Grand Bahama Island. Hydro-Lab Journal, 2, 924.Google Scholar
Macurda, D. B. & Meyer, D. L., 1974. Feeding posture of modern stalked crinoids. Nature, London, 247, 394396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magnus, D. B. E., 1963. Der federstern Heterometra savignyi im Roten Meer. Natur und Museum 93. 355368.Google Scholar
Magnus, D. B. E., 1964. Gezeitenstromung and nahrungsfiltration bei ophiuren und crinoiden. Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen, 10, 105117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magnus, D. B. E., 1967. Ecological and ethological studies and experiments on echinoderms of the Red Sea. Studies in Tropical Oceanography, 5, 635664.Google Scholar
Meyer, D. L., 1971. Functional Morphology and Autecology of the Shallow-water Unstalked Crinoids (Echinodermata) of the Caribbean Sea. Ph.D. Thesis, Yale University.Google Scholar
Meyer, D. L., 1973 a. Feeding behaviour and ecology of shallow-water unstalked crinoids (Echinodermata) in the Caribbean Sea. Marine Biology, 22, 10129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, D. L., 1973 b. Distribution and living habits of comatulid crinoids near Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Bulletin of Marine Science, 23 (2), 244259.Google Scholar
Nichols, D., 1960. The histology and activities of the tube feet of Antedon bifida. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, 101, 105117.Google Scholar
Nichols, D., 1966. Functional morphology of the water vascular system. In Physiology of Echinodermata (ed. Boolootian, R. A.), pp. 219244. New York: Wiley Interscience.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.-M., 1958. Remarques générates sur un ensemble de quinze plongées effectuées avec le bathyscaphe F.N.R.S. III. Annales de l'lnstitut océanographique, 35, 259285.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.-M., 1959. Deux plongées au large du Japon avec le bathyscaphe francais F.N.R.S. III. Bulletin de l'lnstitut océanographique, 56 (1134), 28 pp.Google Scholar
Reyss, D. & Soyer, J., 1965. Étude de deux vallées sousmarine de la mer Catalane. Bulletin de l'lnstitut océeanographique, 65 (1356),27 pp.Google Scholar
Rutman, J. & Fishelson, L., 1969. Food composition and feeding behaviour of shallow-water crinoids at Eilat (Red Sea). Marine Biology, 3, 4657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warner, G. F., 1977. On the shapes of passive suspension feeders. In Proceedings of the 11th European Symposium on Marine Biology, Galway, 1976 (ed. Keegan, B. F., Ceidigh, P. O. and Boaden, P. J. S.), pp. 567576. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar