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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 1005

John J. Gilbert; Observations on the susceptibility of some protists and rotifers to predations by Asplanchna girodi. Hydrobiologia 73:87-91, 1980

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Direct observations of behavioral interactions show that the predator A. girodi: 1) easily ingested Synchaeta pectinata, two forms of Keratella cochlearis cochlearis, and individuals of Conochilus unicornis and C. dossuarius enzymatically dissociated from their matrix; 2) rarely, if ever, captured Kellicottia bostoniensis and intact Conochilus; and 3) generally rejected the peritrich ciliate Rhabdostyla sp. and the dinoflagellate Peridinium sp. Coloniality and secretion of a gelatinous matrix in Conochilus can be viewed as adaptations to limit mortality from invertebrate predation. Intraspecific variability in the feeding responses of A. girodi is considered.