A laboratory study of the feeding behavior of the rhabdocoel Mesostoma ehrenbergii on pond Cladocera

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Abstract
The predation rates of the rhabdocoel M. ehrenbergii were determined on a number of cladoceran species. Two means of capturing prey are employed by the flatworm but only active predation was explored in these experiments. This flatworm is a size-dependent predator with a preference for prey of .apprx. 1.2 mm. Prey behavior was not an important factor in determining susceptibility to predation. M. ehrenbergii is a voracious predator; individuals consume more than 10 prey/day.