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Calliopaea bellula feeding upon egg-masses of Haminoea orbignyana: oophagy among opisthobranch molluscs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2006

Rita Coelho ,
Manuel Malaquias  and
Gonçalo Calado
Rita Coelho
Affiliation:
Instituto Português de Malacologia, Zoomarine, E.N. 125, Km 65 Guia, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal
Manuel Malaquias
Affiliation:
Instituto Português de Malacologia, Zoomarine, E.N. 125, Km 65 Guia, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
Gonçalo Calado
Affiliation:
Instituto Português de Malacologia, Zoomarine, E.N. 125, Km 65 Guia, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal Centro de Modelação Ecológica IMAR, FCT/UNL,Quinta da Torre, 2825-114 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
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Abstract

Calliopaea bellula, a sacoglossan opisthobranch, was recently found in the Ria Formosa, a coastal lagoon in southern Portugal feeding upon eggs of the cephalaspidean opisthobranch Haminoea orbignyana, the second most abundant gastropod inhabiting the sea grass habitats in the lagoon. The feeding behaviour of C. bellula is described together with photographic images of this process. Egg-masses of other common opisthobranch species collected in the Ria Formosa were also offered, but they were always rejected. This is the first known case of predation on eggs of H. orbignyana.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 86 , Issue 2 , April 2006 , pp. 423 - 424
Copyright
2006 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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