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- Title
Carrion-feeding on the sediment surface at nocturnal low tides by the polychaetePhyllodoce mucosa.
- Authors
Lee, C.-G.; Huettel, M.; Hong, J.-S.; Reise, K.
- Abstract
Harsh physical conditions in the intertidal zone are the cause of an ample amount of dead macroinvertebrates, which constitute a food source for carrion-feeders. In the European Wadden Sea, this trophic guild includes decapod crustaceans and fish when the tide is in, while during nocturnal low tides the polychaetePhyllodoce mucosais attracted in large numbers by dead mollusks, crabs or worms on the sediment surface. Within 10 s worms emerged to the surface, crawled as far as 15 m on mucus trails towards the carcass, sucked in tissue up to one-third of their own weight, and then quickly retreated to below the surface. Abundance ofP.mucosawas highest in the lower intertidal zone and winter. The seaward high abundance pattern, however, did not continue into the shallow subtidal. In summer, few were attracted during daytime or when the tide was in. However, up to 447 worms aggregated at a single crushed mussel within 20 min at dusk during low-tide exposure. This study suggests that during winter carrion-feeding is an important trophic niche on cold-temperate, intertidal mud flats occupied by a phyllodocid polychaete that is segregated in feeding time from most other scavengers and benefits from cold-sensitive benthic invertebrates.
- Subjects
PHYLLODOCE; FOOD chains; PHYLLODOCIDAE; MARINE biology; MARINE sciences
- Publication
Marine Biology, 2004, Vol 145, Issue 3, p575
- ISSN
0025-3162
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00227-004-1334-6