Predator-Prey Interactions of the Polyclad, Euplana gracilis, and the Amphipod, Apocorophium lacustre, in the Chesapeake Bay

Janiak, Dean S.; Adams, Julia N.; Rubinoff, Benjamin; Osman, Richard W.

doi:10.1007/s12237-016-0148-3

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…The most relevant interaction regards the connections in the food web. It is noteworthy to remember that amphipods are the primary consumers in the marine environment, and can cause bioaccumulation in higher taxa, being preys to a wide range of animal groups from flatworms [34] to cetaceans [35].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Assessment of Plasticizers in Marine Coastal Litter-Feeder Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea

Brutto

Iaciofano

Turco

et al. 2021

Toxics

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Micro and nanoplastics are harmful to marine life due to their high level of fragmentation and resistance to degradation. Over the past two decades, marine coastal sediment has shown an increasing amount of microplastics being a sort of trap for debris wastes or chemicals. In such an environment some species may be successful candidates to be used as monitors of environmental and health hazards and can be considered a mirror of threats of natural habitats. Such species play a key role in the food web of littoral systems since they are litter-feeders, and are prey for fishes or higher trophic level species. A preliminary investigation was conducted on five species of small-sized amphipod crustaceans, with the aim to understand if such an animal group may reflect the risk to ecosystems health in the central Mediterranean area, recently investigated for seawater and fish contamination. This study intended to gather data related to the accumulation of plasticizers in such coast dwelling fauna. In order to detect the possible presence of xenobiotics in amphipods, six analytes were scored (phthalic acid esters and non-phthalate plasticizers), identified and quantified by the gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. The results showed that among all the monitored contaminants, DEP and DiBP represented the most abundant compounds in the selected amphipods. The amphipod crustaceans analyzed were a good tool to detect and monitor plasticizers, and further studies of these invertebrates will help in developing a more comprehensive knowledge of chemicals spreading over a geographical area. The results are herein presented as a starting point to develop baseline data of plasticizer pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Assessment of Plasticizers in Marine Coastal Litter-Feeder Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea

Brutto

Iaciofano

Turco

et al. 2021

Toxics

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“…Within the marine ecosystem, polyclads typically prey on in the communities they inhabit. All polyclads are carnivorous and act as mesopredators of smaller invertebrates such as crustaceans, ascidians, gastropods, and shellfish [36][37][38][39]. The specific diets of polyclads are not always known, however, some species have been observed to overcome the secondary metabolites of their prey and may act as specialised hunters [36,37,40].…”

Section: Ecology Of Polyclads 221 the Roles Of Flatworms In Their Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Products in Polyclad Flatworms

et al. 2021

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Marine invertebrates are promising sources of novel bioactive secondary metabolites, and organisms like sponges, ascidians and nudibranchs are characterised by possessing potent defensive chemicals. Animals that possess chemical defences often advertise this fact with aposematic colouration that potential predators learn to avoid. One seemingly defenceless group that can present bright colouration patterns are flatworms of the order Polycladida. Although members of this group have typically been overlooked due to their solitary and benthic nature, recent studies have isolated the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin from these mesopredators. This review considers the potential of polyclads as potential sources of natural products and reviews what is known of the activity of the molecules found in these animals. Considering the ecology and diversity of polyclads, only a small number of species from both suborders of Polycladida, Acotylea and Cotylea have been investigated for natural products. As such, confirming assumptions as to which species are in any sense toxic or if the compounds they use are biosynthesised, accumulated from food or the product of symbiotic bacteria is difficult. However, further research into the group is suggested as these animals often display aposematic colouration and are known to prey on invertebrates rich in bioactive secondary metabolites.

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Combined, short-term exposure to reduced seawater pH and elevated temperature induces community shifts in an intertidal meiobenthic assemblage

Mevenkamp

Ong

Colen

et al. 2018

Marine Environmental Research

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Predator-Prey Interactions of the Polyclad, Euplana gracilis, and the Amphipod, Apocorophium lacustre, in the Chesapeake Bay

Cited by 3 publications

References 50 publications

First Assessment of Plasticizers in Marine Coastal Litter-Feeder Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea

First Assessment of Plasticizers in Marine Coastal Litter-Feeder Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea

Natural Products in Polyclad Flatworms

Combined, short-term exposure to reduced seawater pH and elevated temperature induces community shifts in an intertidal meiobenthic assemblage

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