Diet of Limacina helicina (Gastropoda: Thecosomata) in Artic waters in midsummer

• Main Authors: Gilmer, R. W., Harbison, G. R.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Inter-Research Science Center 1991
• Subjects: Zooplankton; Copepoda; Diatoms; Thecosomata; Predation (Biology); Territorial waters > Arctic regions; Arctic; Limacina helicina; Copepods
• Online Access: http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=3350861

The diet of Limacina helicina (Phipps) was examined from in situ collections of adult individuals made during 2 cruises in Arctic waters. Zooplankton, consisting mainly of small copepods and juvenile L helicina, made up almost half of the mass of material found in digestive tracts of the 28 individuals examined. In contrast, these prey made up a much smaller fraction of the total mass of material in water samples and were only occasionally found as fragments in fecal pellets. A high percentage of diatoms appeared to pass intact through the guts of these pteropods. It appears that motile prey, including tintinnids, copepods, and juvenile L. helicina, are major constituents of the diet of adult L. helicina in midsummer in Arctic waters. This provides additional evidence that thecosome pteropods trap large, fast-moving prey in addition to feeding on fine suspended material. This manuscript is available at http://www.int-res.com/ and may be cited as: Gilmer, R. W., & Harbison, G. R. (1991). Diet of Limacina helicina (Gastropoda: Thecosomata) in Artic waters in midsummer. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 77, 125-134. Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #792.