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J. Moll. Stud. (1989), 55, 469-477
© The Malacological Society of London 1989

research-article

FACTORS AFFECTING PREY CHOICE AND FEEDING TECHNIQUE IN THE CARNIVOROUS SNAIL EUGLANDINA ROSEA FERUSSAC

ANTHONY COOK

Department of Biology, University of Ulster Coleraine, Northern Ireland, BT52 1SA

Euglandina feeds on other gastropods either by quickly sucking the contents from the shell, or by swallowing the prey whole, which can be more time consuming. When Euglandina were offered prey species of various sizes, they preferentially consumed the smaller individuals, and often swallowed these whole. Handling time increased with decreasing density since swallowing prey whole became more frequent at the lower densities.

The relationship between prey size, predator size, handling time and feeding technique was examined. For the two feeding techniques observed, handling time increased exponentially with the size of the prey and decreased exponentially with the size of the predator. Predators of intermediate size tended to swallow prey whole more frequently than did the smallest and largest.

These data are interpreted in terms of the animal behaving in such a way as to balance its rate of intake of both organic matter, which resides mainly in the soft parts, and of calcium, which resides mainly in the shell.

(Received 11 July 1988; accepted 31 October 1988)


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