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A Note on Feeding in Leptopentacta (=Cucumaria) Elongata

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

J. Douglas McKenzie  and
B. E. Picton
J. Douglas McKenzie
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology Queen's, University Belfast, BT7 1NN
B. E. Picton
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Zoology Ulster Museum Belfast, BT9
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Extract

Conflicting opinions exist as to the method of feeding employed by Leptopentacta elongata (Dub. and Kor). Orton (1914) and Mortensen (1927) suggested that it may be a deposit feeder. Chia & Buchanan (1969) noted that post larval specimens up to 1 year old deposit fed. Fankboner (1981), in a short study, concluded that the adults were cryptic deposit feeders. Hunt (1925) and Fish (1967), however, observed what they concluded was suspension feeding. All the above observations were the result of aquarium studies. Fish (1967) also demonstrated that Leptopentacta hibernated between October and April or May both in the field and in aquarium. He also observed that hibernation could be induced in the summer months by reducing water temperature to 8°C but that winter hibernation could not be curtailed by raising the water temperature.

Obsevations made by one of us (B.P.) while diving indicate that Leptopentacta suspension feeds. This behaviour has been observed on several occasions from several sites around the Irish coastline with specimens then being caught and their identity confirmed. While feeding the tentacles are held clear of the substrate to intercept suspended material.

These observations clearly do not support the description of Leptopentacta solely as a cryptic deposit feeder, indeed the evidence for the adults deposit feeding at all is weak. Orton (1914) and Mortensen were only speculating on Leptopentacta being a deposit feeder based on the observation that specimens in aquaria spent much of their time completely buried. Hibernation, as shown by Fish (1967), is a possible explanation for this.

Type
Short Notes
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , August 1984 , pp. 727
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1984

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References

REFERENCES

Chia, F. S. & Buchanan, J. B. 1969. Larval development of Cucumaria elongata (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 49, 151–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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