Marine mussels Brachidontes variabilis selected smaller places of refuge and enhanced byssus production upon exposure to conspecific and heterospecific cues

Abstract

Refuge selection and byssus production as anti-predator responses were examined in mussels Brachidontes variabilis exposed to cues either released from damaged or intact conspecifics, from damaged or intact heterospecific mussels Perna viridis sympatric with B. variabilis or from shrimp meat as novel cues. Most of the mussels from all treatment groups would seek and stay in a refuge for the first few hours, with a significantly higher number of mussels from the damaged conspecific group seeking refuge. More mussels preferred a smaller refuge when they were exposed to conspecific or heterospecific cues; mussels from other treatments did not select particular sizes of refuge. Damaged conspecific and heterospecific cues elicited the greatest responses in byssus production with more byssal threads being produced, which were also longer and thicker. Novel cues elicited medium levels of response, suggesting that some common cues from injured or dead individuals from different taxa were released, which induced anti-predator responses in B. variabilis.