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Suspension-feeding and assimilation efficiency in Lanice conchilega (Polychaeta)

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Abstract

In laboratory experiments, measurements of ingested ration, assimilated ration and assimilation efficiency in the polychaete Lanice conchilega (Pallas) were carried out at 12°C and at a food concentration of 40x106 cells of Dunaliella marina/l. Over periods of 20 to 46 days, the ingested ration was determined photometrically by the continous automatic recording apparatus described by Winter (1973). The assimilated ration was calculated from the calorific content of the food ingested minus the calorific content of the faeces produced. Within the range of body size investigated (1.3 to 35.0 mg dry-tissue weight), the food intake (=filtration rate=F) was found to be a linear function of body size (W) according to the equation F=0.88 W 0.32. The daily food intake-expressed as percentage of dry-tissue weight-decreased from 35.7 to 3.9% with increasing body size. The assimilation efficiency was found to vary between 70.6 and 77.2% and showed no significant correlation with body size. The absolute amounts of food retained from suspension and the assimilation efficiencies calculated for L. conchilega are within the range typical for obligatory suspension-feeding organisms. This implies that L. conchilega is capable of completely replacing deposit-feeding by suspension-feeding.

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  1. Institut für Meeresforschung Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany (FRG)

    K. -J. Buhr

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Communicated by O. Kinne, Hamburg

This work was made possible through a research grant from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” in connection with the program “Litoralforschung-Abwässer in Küstennähe”.

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Buhr, K.J. Suspension-feeding and assimilation efficiency in Lanice conchilega (Polychaeta). Mar. Biol. 38, 373–383 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391377

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