Characterization of feeding activity patterns in the planktonic copepod Centropages typicus Kroyer under various food conditions1

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Abstract
High‐speed (500 frames · s−1) cinematography of particle capture by Centropages typicus revealed that cells of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium nelsoni were captured via a rapid extension of the second maxillae after particle detection. The capture sequence requires −1) cinematographic analysis of the feeding behavior of C. typicus showed that the copepod spent at least 95% of its time alternating between periods of rhythmic mouthpart movement and periods of no mouthpart movement. Intervals of activity lasted from 0.1 to 10 s, but the duration of activity was highly dependent on the species and concentration of food available to the copepod. The results suggest considerable plasticity in the temporal partitioning of feeding activity.