Activity pattern as a mechanism of predator avoidance in two species of acmaeid limpet

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Abstract

Activity patterns in the foraging activity of two species of acmaeid limpets, Collisella limatula (Carpenter, 1864) and C. scabra) (Gould, 1846) were documented over the entire tidal cycle. C. limatula was found to be active only while awash by the tide and during night-time emergence; periods of inactivity were spent in crevices and on the undersides of boulders. C. scabra, which homes to a scar on the upper surfaces of rocks, foraged only while awash in daylight. The activity pattern of C. limatula was demonstrated to be an effective mechanism for avoiding predation by Octopus, a major visual predator of limpets, in both laboratory and field experiments. The homing habit of Collisella scabra was also shown to reduce the rate of predation in the laboratory. It is suggested that the observed activity patterns have evolved in response to predation pressure from swift-moving visual predators.

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    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, U.S.A.

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