Feeding by a heterotrophic dinoflagellate (Noctiluca scintillans) in marine snow

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Abstract
Marine snow samples were collected on two dates (20 and 27 August 1992) in the San Juan Islands, Washington. On both sampling dates the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans was concentrated in aggregates. On 20 August “small” and “large” aggregates were sampled separately. The data indicate that on this date, all of the N. scintillans were in aggregates and that most were in the large aggregates. About 60% of the N. scintillans contained food, which, given their association with aggregates, likely resulted from feeding in marine snow. On 27 August, 51% of the N. scintillans were in aggregates and 80% of these individuals contained food. Only 20% of the individuals in the water surrounding aggregates contained food. The data suggest that on the two sampling dates, aggregates were the preferred habitat of N. scintillans and that N. scintillans associated with marine snow had greater success feeding than did individuals in the surrounding water. During periods when water‐column concentrations of N. scintillans prey are reduced, marine snow, with its typically high concentrations of phytoplankton, may act as a refuge habitat.

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