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Nagelkerke, L.A.J., and F.A. Sibbing, 1996. Efficiency of Feeding on Zebra
Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by Common Bream (Abramis brama), White Bream (Blicca
bjoerkna), and Roach (Rutilus rutilus): the Effects of Morphology and Behavior,
Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences
Reprinted from Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
(1996) 53(12),
2847-2861
Efficiency of Feeding on Zebra Mussel (Dreissena
polymorpha) by Common Bream (Abramis brama), White Bream (Blicca bjoerkna),
and Roach (Rutilus rutilus): the Effects of Morphology and Behavior
Abstract:
We compared efficiencies of feeding on zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by three
syntopic cyprinids: common bream (Abramis brama), white bream (Blicca bjoerkna),
and roach (Rutilus rutilus). Empirical feeding efficiency (the ratio of food
energy content to food capture and processing costs) is largely determined by the time
needed to handle prey, rather than by the energy required for specific feeding actions,
such as detaching and crushing the mussel. The highest individual feeding efficiency
values were achieved by large white bream and roach, while common bream performed poorly.
Maximal and optimal prey sizes were highest in roach. X-ray movies showed that in roach
the dimensions of the oral gape, pharyngeal slit, and chewing cavity all matched, and thus
limited, maximal prey size. In common bream and white bream prey size is limited by
pharyngeal crushing power. The ability of roach to process larger mussels is based on the
larger static crushing forces that can be exerted by its stout pharyngeal jaws; this could
contribute to a strong position in competing for mollusks, most probably at the expense of
its filter-feeding capacity. An integration of morphology, behavior, and performance helps
to explain feeding efficiency differences among fish species and could eventually provide
insights into mechanisms of trophic segregation.
Entire Paper
Contact: F.A. Sibbing, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences (WIAS),
Department of Experimental Animal Morphology and Cell Biology, Agricultural University,
Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands. e-mail: Nand.Sibbing@morf.edc.wau.nl
Keywords: Zebra_mussel, Predators, Basic_biology
Product Type: Research, Basic_biology
User Type: General
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