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- Title
Predation by the scyphozoan Pelagia noctiluca on Mnemiopsis leidyi ctenophores in the NW Mediterranean Sea.
- Authors
Tilves, Uxue; Purcell, Jennifer E.; Marambio, Macarena; Canepa, Antonio; Olariaga, Alejandro; Fuentes, Verónica
- Abstract
The invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, which now may be established in the NW Mediterranean, is a voracious predator of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton. Pelagia noctiluca, an abundant scyphomedusa there, eats other gelatinous species. We measured predation, digestion and escape when different sizes of medusae fed on ctenophores. Clearance rates increased with predator size and ingestion rates increased with prey concentration. Digestion times were longer when medusae were smaller than the ctenophores. All large ctenophores escaped from the medusae, but small ctenophores were ingested completely. Pelagia noctiluca is potentially an important predator of M. leidyi that may help control populations of this ctenophore.
- Subjects
MEDITERRANEAN Sea; PREDATION; NOCTILUCA; MNEMIOPSIS leidyi; CTENOPHORA; INTRODUCED species; JELLYFISHES; SEMAEOSTOMEAE
- Publication
Journal of Plankton Research, 2013, Vol 35, Issue 1, p218
- ISSN
0142-7873
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/plankt/fbs082