---

Animalia >Mollusca >Gastropoda >Sorbeoconcha >Vermetidae >Serpulorbis >

Vermetid gastropods are sessile suspension feeders. They have unique feeding behavior, secreting mucus net and ingesting suspended food caught in their net.
This movie recorded the feeding behavior of a vermetid, Serpulorbis imbricatus. It plays at 36-speed. Two sets of feeding behavior from mucus secretion to ingestion were recorded. The snail secreted mucus net with extending its suprapedal gland (between proboscis and foot) and expanded it by waving tentacles. Water flowed from left to right side. Extended mucus net was to be seen with increasing stuck aeration bubbles. After 10 odd minutes the snail ingested mucus net and obtained suspension food simultaneously.
Recording materials and methods: the snail was collected at Takasu beach, Fukui, Central Japan with a substratum rock and was kept in a 25 L aquarium filled with natural seawater. Water current was produced by a circular pump flows at 5 L/min from 15 mm caliber. Illumination by a fluorescent lamp.

(Data No.momo030208si01b)

Copyrights belong to author.
Read Terms of Service carefully

>>Japanese

[Database Home]