Visual cues determining prey selection by the turbot, Scophthalmus maximus L.

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Holmes, R. A., Gibson, R. N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1986
• Subjects: Scophthalmus maximus; Turbot
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1986.tb04998.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1986.tb04998.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1986.tb04998.x

By presenting juvenile turbot, Scophthalmus maximus L., with models and natural prey, Crangon crangon , standardised for size, some of the visual characteristics that elicit a predatory response have been determined. By far the most important stimulus was overall body movement, but appendage movements of the crustacean and a ratio of vertical to horizontal dimensions lower than about 1:5 were also of significance. The body shape of a prey was not of great importance. Evidence was obtained for the heterogeneous summation of stimuli.