Cannibalism in Naticidae from the la Meseta Formation (Eocene, Antarctica)

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Brezina, Soledad Silvana, Cech, Norma Beatriz, Serralta, D. Martín, Casadio, Silvio Alberto
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: DRILLING TRACES; GASTROPODS; PREDATION; PREDATOR-PREY BEHAVIOUR; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Patagonia; Argentina; Pampa; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11336/180635

Polinices marambioensis is a naticid gastropod which is the most common constituent in fossil accumulations in the upper section of the Cucullaea I Allomember (Middle Eocene) of the La Meseta Formation in James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula. This species was an important predator of infaunal bivalves and gastropods, including other naticids. The aim of this work was to assess the pattern of predation and cannibalistic behaviour of P. marambioensis. A total of 2648 specimens of P. marambioensis were examined for drill holes, which were assigned to Oichnus paraboloides. Drilling frequency data were measured as a proxy for predation intensity and statistical analyses were performed. Further, the site of each drill hole was established according to the morphological features of the shell on each specimen to assess possible preference of predators for the site of perforation. Results suggest that P. marambioensis is an efficient cannibalistic predator for a specific size range of prey (8-22 mm), and drill holes are distributed preferentially in two specific sectors of their shells. This selective cannibalistic prey behaviour in P. marambioensis affected not only the dynamics of their populations but the ecological structure of the community in which they lived. Fil: Brezina, Soledad Silvana. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Cech, Norma Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Serralta, D. Martín. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Casadio, Silvio Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina