Shell wiping in Calliostoma zizyphinum: the use of pedal mucus as a provendering agent and its contribution to daily energetic requirements

Abstract

The phenomenon of shell wiping in Calliostoma zizyphinum (L.) was investigated with regard to its potential function as a feeding adaptation. It was determined that C. zizyphinum will, on average, wipe the surface of its shell with its foot twice every 24 h, in the process consuming any matter that has adhered to the pedal mucus present on the surface of its shell. Examination of the importance of shell wiping to C. zizyphinum, both as a mechanism to reduce shell fouling and as a source of nutrition, revealed that the prevention of shell wiping resulted in a reduction in shell growth by a factor of 0.67 and an increase in shell fouling by a factor of 9. Measurement of the metabolic rate of C. zizyphinum ascertained that an average sized adult had a metabolic requirement of ~117 J 24 h -1 . Examination of the ability of the pedal mucus produced by C. zizyphinum to act as a provendering agent showed that the pedal mucus produced by C. zizyphinum could increase the entrapment of particulate matter by a factor of 8, and increase the chlorophyll a content of a substratum by a factor of 3. Calculation of the potential contribution of the matter trapped by pedal mucus, which is ingested through shell wiping, to the daily energetic requirements of C. zizyphinum revealed that shell wiping can contribute to approximately one-fifth of the daily energetic requirement of C. zizyphinum. Shell wiping therefore has an important role for both feeding and antifouling in C. zizyphinum.

Experimental assessment ofPosidonia oceanica‐associated gastropods grazing on an early‐successional biofilm community: nutrient availability and species‐specific effects

“…Knowledge of the species-specific feeding preferences of gastropods is still scarce to have a definitive classification and different feeding-behavior can be assigned to the same species amongst studies. For example, Calliostoma zizyphinum has been considered a true carnivore that predates on colonial and sedentary animals ) but it has also been found to consume microalgae through shell wiping (Holmes et al 2011). Following Pête et al (2015), microalgae, ciliates, foraminiferans and bryozoans are expected to be present in early biofilm successional communities and so the results mentioned in the previous sentence are consistent with our results and point to a generalist feeding behaviour of C. zizyphinum.…”

“…) but it has also been found to consume microalgae through shell wiping (Holmes et al . ). Following Pête et al .…”

The effect of pedal mucus on barnacle cyprid settlement: a source for indirect interactions in the rocky intertidal?

“…cue (see Raimondi, 1988 for discussion). Alternatively, the ability of pedal mucus to stimulate settlement and hence act as a provendering agent, thereby o¡setting the energetically expensive cost of its production (see Holmes et al, 2001 for discussion), would be a sensible strategy for more generalist feeding species. For such species, it is unlikely that the pedal mucus produced by them will contain a chemotaxic cue as the presence of such a cue could allow a settling organism to evolve a negative response.…”

Microhabitats within Venomous Cone Snails Contain Diverse Actinobacteria

“…This analysis confirmed that actinobacteria are associated with the snail and are actively dividing. Snails have been known to use mucus to cover their shells (20), and mucus has been reported to contain bioactive compounds (23), indicating one of many potential roles for these bacteria. Moreover, since actinobacterial sequences in the samples were derived solely from actinomycetales, it is probable that these identified bacteria fall within this group.…”