Predatory Feeding Behavior of Epischura lacustris (Copepoda, Calanoida) and Prey Defense
- 1 March 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
- Vol. 38 (3) , 275-279
- https://doi.org/10.1139/f81-039
Abstract
The predatory feeding behavior of Epischura lacustris on Bosmina longirostris and Ceriodaphnia reticulata was investigated. Epischura rarely killed Bosmina > 0.40 mm in length, but below this threshold there was no size selection because predation rates were affected mainly by encounter rate and ingestion probability. When presented with Bosmina and Ceriodaphnia, Epischura fed at higher rates on Bosmina which were more easily captured. Epischura showed no true behavioral preference or switching, and its diet included all the prey it could detect, capture, and ingest successfully. Previous diet had no effect on prey selection. Predation rates on Bosmina were not affected by the presence of algal food.Key words: predatory copepod, predator–prey interactions, size selection, switching, prey defenseThis publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
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