Inorganic Content of Faeces in Molluscan Grazers Observed on a Boulder Shore at Amakusa

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  • 天草の転石地潮間帯における藻食性貝類の糞の無機質含有率
  • 天草の転石地潮間帯における藻食性貝類の糞の無機質含有率〔英文〕
  • アマクサ ノ テンセキチ チョウカンタイ ニ オケル ソウショクセイ カイルイ

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Grazers with strong radulae, such as docoglossan limpets, are expected to discharge faeces with high inorganic content because of their high excavating ability on the rocky surface. On the other hand, grazers with weak radulae, such as rhipidoglossan snails, are expected to produce faeces with low inorganic content. In order to test this hypothesis, inorganic content of faeces was investigated for 9 species of molluscan grazers on a boulder shore in Amakusa, Japan. Specimens were obtained in the three intertidal zones such as high, mid, and low. Intraspecific and interspecific variations in inorganic content were detected. Monodonta labio in the low zone showed higher inorganic content than those in the mid and high zones. In the high zone, inorganic content of M. labio was higher than Nerita japonica and Nipponacmea concinna. In the low zone, M. labio and Lunella coronata showed higher inorganic content than Nipponacmea schrenckii. Thus the higher inorganic content in rhipidoglossan snails than docoglossan limpets is not consistent with the hypothesis. This inconsistency may have been due to the small inorganic particles accumulated on the surface of boulders. Relationship between radular form and feeding mechanism should be investigated further.

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