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Patterns of shell repair in articulate brachiopods indicate size constitutes a refuge from predation

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Abstract

The cost of overcoming prey defenses relative to the value of internal tissues is a key criterion in predator/prey interactions. Optimal foraging theory predicts: (1) specific sizes of prey will result in the best returns to predators, and (2) there will often be a size at which the cost/benefit balance is low enough to effectively exclude predation. Data presented here on styles of repaired shell damage and size at which injury had been sustained was collected from samples of terebratulide brachiopods from the Antarctic Peninisula (Liothyrella uva), Falkland Islands (Magellania venosa and Terebratella dorsata) and Chile (M. venosa). The predominant form of damage on shells was indicative of predators attacking the valve margins. The modal size for repaired damage was more than 10 mm smaller than the modal size for the overall size distribution in each species and there were no repaired attacks in the largest size classes of any species. These data suggest that size forms a refuge from predation, as would be predicted by optimal foraging theory. The optimal sizes that predators appeared to attack vary between species, as do the sizes that provided a refuge from predation. High levels of multiple repairs (19% of the M. venosa population from the Falkland Islands sampled had 2 or more repairs) suggest that the mortality following attack is low, suggesting that many predators abandon their attacks.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Drs V. Häussermann and G. Foersterra (Huinay Scientific Field Station, Chile) who collected samples of Magellania venosa for us and to Dr. Sarah Long (Natural History Museum, London) who verified the identity of some of the taxa. This publication is ESC 1023.

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Author notes

  1. Katharine R. Hendry

    Present address: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PR, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ, UK

    Elizabeth M. Harper & Katharine R. Hendry

  2. British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    Lloyd S. Peck

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  1. Elizabeth M. Harper
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Correspondence to Elizabeth M. Harper.

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Communicated by J. P. Grassle.

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Harper, E.M., Peck, L.S. & Hendry, K.R. Patterns of shell repair in articulate brachiopods indicate size constitutes a refuge from predation. Mar Biol 156, 1993–2000 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1230-1

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