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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access published online on February 24, 2009
Journal of Molluscan Studies, doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp004
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

DOES A SHELL MATER FOR DEFENCE? CHEMICAL DETERRENCE IN TWO CEPHALASPIDEAN GASTROPODS WITH CALCIFIED SHELLS

R. Neves1,2, H. Gaspar3 and G. Calado1,2,4

1Instituto Português de Malacologia, Zoomarine, E.N. 125, Km 65 Guia, 8200-864 Albufeira, Portugal; 2 Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Av. do Campo Grande, 376 1749 - 024 Lisboa, Portugal; 3Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação (INETI), Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, Edifício F, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; and 4Centro de Modelação Ecológica IMAR, FCT/UNL, Quinta da Torre, 2825-114 Monte da Caparica, Portugal

Correspondence: G. Calado; e-mail: ipm{at}zoomarine.pt


  Abstract

Opisthobranch molluscs show an evolutionary trend to reduce, internalize and lose the shell. Many of them base their defensive strategies on natural deterrent products and current evolutionary theory suggests that the acquisition of chemical defences preceded shell reduction and loss, which has characterized the evolution of this group. Here we show that basal, shelled opisthobranch molluscs are defended against sympatric predators even if their protective shell is removed. The cephalaspideans Bulla striata and Haminoea orbignyana, both with distinct shell calcification, significantly deterred feeding by sympatric crab and fish predators, both in laboratory and field assays. However, our results argue against a progressive increment of chemical defences associated with shell reduction, because the cephalaspidean with the more fully calcified shell, Bulla striata, was also the more deterrent. These findings suggest that effective chemical defences might have evolved independently from shell loss, at least in basal opisthobranchs such as cephalaspideans.

(Received 15 October 2007; accepted 4 December 2008)


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