Abstract
Planktonic Turbellaria are of common occurrence in both natural and man-made lakes in Brazil. Experiments were performed in 1987 and 1989 to determine which zooplankton species are consumed by predatory Mesostoma sp. from three natural lakes in the Rio Doce Valley. Experiments were also performed in 1989 with a yet unidentified flatworm from Barra Bonita reservoir. Both predators consumed Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia at a high rate: 4 individuals per day in the case of Mesostoma sp., a large species and 1.5 ind day−1 in the case of the smaller species from Barra Bonita reservoir. Consumption of copepod nauplii, copepodids and adults was much lower, and Ostracoda were not consumed at all. Experiments on food selectivity showed a clear preference by the flatworms for cladocerans.
In the lakes studied, flatworms are heavily preyed upon by larvae of Chaoborus and by Mesocyclops species.
Turbellaria densities in the natural lakes were around 300 individuals per cubic meter, whereas in Barra Bonita reservoir, 1000 individuals per cubic meter was a mean value in a fifteen days study.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, R. S., 1980. Relationships between trout and invertebrate species as predators and the structure of the crustacean and rotiferan plankton in mountain lakes. In W. C. Kerfoot (ed.), Evolution and Ecology of Zooplankton Communities: 538–554. The University Press of New England, Hanover, N.H.
Blaustein, L. & H. J. Dumont, (This volume). Typhloplanid flatworms: mechanisms of predation and evidence that they structure aquatic invertebrate communities.
Collins, F. H. & R. K. Washino, 1979. Factors affecting the density of Culex tarsalis and Anopheles freeborni in northern Californi rice fields. Proc. Calif Mosq. & Vector Control Assoc. 47: 97–98.
Collins, F. H. & R. K. Washino, 1980. The effects of irrigation water source and crop rotation on the abundance of Culex tarsalis in California rice fields. Proc. Calif Mosq. & Vector Control Assoc. 48: 103–108.
Dumont, H. J., I. Miron, U. Dall'Asta, W. Decraemer, C. Claus & D. Somers, 1973. Limnological aspects of some Moroccon Atlas Lakes, with reference to some physical and chemical variables, the nature and distribution of the phyto and zooplankton, including a note on possibilities for the development of an inland fishery. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 58: 33–60.
Dumont, H. J. & I. Carels, 1987. Flatworm predator (Mesostoma cf. lingua) releases a toxin to catch planktonic prey (Daphnia magna). Limnol. Oceanogr. 32: 699–702.
Dumont, H. J. & S. Schorreels, (this volume). A quantitative laboratory study of the feeding of Mesostoma lingua (Schmidt) (Turbellaria: Neorhabdocela) on Daphnia magna Straus at four different temperatures.
Fukuhara, H., 1989. The vertical migration of Chaoborus larvae in Lake D. Helvecio. In Saijo, Y. & J. G. Tundisi (eds), Limnological studies in Rio Doce Valley Lakes, 3rd Report, Wat. Res. Institute, Nagoya University Public.
Hanazato, T., (this volume). A comparison between predation effects on zooplankton communities by Neomysis and Chaoborus.
Hutchinson, G. E., 1967. A treatise on Limnology. vol. II. Wiley, N.Y., 1115 pp.
Karabin, A., 1978. The pressure of pelagic predators of the genus Mesocyclops (Copepoda, Crustacea) on small zooplankton. Ekol. pol. 26: 241–257.
Lane, P. A., 1979. Vertebrate and invertebrate predation intensity of freshwater zooplankton communities. Nature 280: 391–393.
Macan, T. T., 1977. The influence of predation on the composition of freshwater animal communities. Biol. Rev. 52: 45–70.
Maly, E. J., S. Schoenholtz & M. T. Arts, 1980. The influence of flatworm predation on zooplankton inhabiting small ponds. Hydrobiologia 76: 233–240.
Marcus, E., 1943. On the freshwater Turbellaria from Brazil. Univ. de São Paulo. Bol. Zool. 11: 5–254. (in portuguese).
Matsumura-Tundisi, T., J. G. Tundisi & L. H.Tavares, 1984. Diel migration and vertical distribution of cladocerans in lake D. Helvecio (MG, Brazil), Hydrobiologia 113: 299–306.
Matsumura-Tundisi, T., 1985. Composition and vertical distribution of zooplankton in lake D. Helvecio. In Saijo, Y. & J. G. Tundisi (eds), Limnological studies in Central Brazil-Rio Doce Valley Lakes and Pantanal Wetland (1st Report) Water Res. Inst., Nagoya University Publication.
Matsumura-Tundisi, T., O. Rocha, J. G. Tundisi, R. Henry & M. C. Calijuri, 1989. The metalimnetic layer of lake D. Helvecio: Plankton distribution. In Saijo, Y. & J. G. Tundisi (eds). Limnological Studies in Rio Doce Valley Lakes, Brazil (3rd Report). Water Res. Inst., Nagoya University Publication.
Pastorok, R. N., 1973. Predation by Chaoborus larvae and its impact on the zooplankton community. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washington, 238 pp.
Schwartz, S. S. & P. D. N. Hebert, 1982. A laboratory study of the feeding behaviour of the Rhabdocoel Mesostoma ehrenbergi on pond Cladocera. Can. J. Zool. 60: 1305–1307.
Schwartz, S. S. & P. D. N. Hebert, 1986. Prey preference and utilization by Mesostoma lingua (Turbellaria, Rhabdocoela) at a low arctic site. Hydrobiologia 135: 251–257.
Additional information
Federal University of São Carlos - Laboratory of Limnology
University of São Paulo - Canter of Water Resource and Applied Ecology
Post-graduate student - University of São Paulo
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rocha, O., Matsumura-Tundisi, T., Galizia Tundisi, J. et al. Predation on and by pelagic Turbellaria in some lakes in Brazil. Hydrobiologia 198, 91–101 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048625
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048625