Comparison of Three Methods for Determining the Prey Preference of the Muricid SnailReishia clavigera

Morihiko Tomatsuri,Koetsu Kon

doi:10.1155/2015/484392

Abstract

We propose an appropriate method for investigating the prey preferences of the muricid snailReishia clavigera(Küster, 1860) with limited collection of live prey. We compared 3 methods for examining the prey preference. The first was a predation experiment, conducted with dead prey instead of live prey. The second was a prey choice test using a few preys. In this experiment, both live and dead prey were used. The last method was a stable isotope analysis ofR. clavigeraand its putative prey items. Using live prey, bivalves were the most preferred prey, but goose barnacle was the most preferred prey species in experiments using dead prey. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis supported the live prey experiment. SinceR. clavigeraprefer preying on live prey but will scavenge or cannibalize when no other food is available in natural habitats, experimental methods using dead prey are not suitable for investigating its prey preferences. Considering the damage to natural habitats, the prey choice test is ecologically benign. Taken together, our findings suggested the prey choice test is the most appropriate method of identifying the prey preferences of muricid snails when large numbers of live preys are difficult to collect.

Highlights

Predation is widely considered an important process that regulates the spatial distribution and population dynamics of animals, which in turn determines the community structure of various ecosystems
At Nabeta, C. mitella was preferred over S. virgatus (t-test, P < 0.05) and T. japonica, and T. japonica was preferred over S. virgatus (t-test, P < 0.05)
On the basis of these predation rates, we speculated that the prey preferences of R. clavigera in Nabeta were in the following order: C. mitella > T. japonica > S. virgatus (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Predation is widely considered an important process that regulates the spatial distribution and population dynamics of animals, which in turn determines the community structure of various ecosystems. In Kasumigaura Lake located in central Japan, the invasive carnivorous fish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque, 1818) can directly reduce species diversity through predation on various other species [1, 2] In such cases, nonselective predation leads to the collapse of prey populations. The starfish Pisaster ochraceus (Brandt, 1835) is the top predator in the intertidal rocky shores of the Northwest Pacific Coast and can maintain species diversity via selective consumption that regulates the abundances of competing mussel species [3]. In such cases, predation indirectly facilitates species that are inferior competitors. Prey preference can be an important determinant of community structures in many aquatic ecosystems

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion