Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Discriminating eaters : Sea stars asterias rubens L. Feed preferably on mytilus trossulus gould in mixed stocks of mytilus trossulus and mytilus edulis L. / Khaitov, Vadim; Makarycheva, Anna; Gantsevich, Mikhail; Lentsman, Natalia; Skazina, Maria; Gagarina, Anastasia; Katolikova, Marina; Strelkov, Petr.
In: Biological Bulletin, Vol. 234, No. 2, 01.04.2018, p. 85-95.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Discriminating eaters
T2 - Sea stars asterias rubens L. Feed preferably on mytilus trossulus gould in mixed stocks of mytilus trossulus and mytilus edulis L
AU - Khaitov, Vadim
AU - Makarycheva, Anna
AU - Gantsevich, Mikhail
AU - Lentsman, Natalia
AU - Skazina, Maria
AU - Gagarina, Anastasia
AU - Katolikova, Marina
AU - Strelkov, Petr
PY - 2018/4/1
Y1 - 2018/4/1
N2 - Sea stars Asterias rubens are important natural enemies of the blue mussel Mytilus in the North Atlantic. We asked whether these predators distinguish between the cryptic species M. edulis and M. trossulus that occur sympatrically in the White Sea. In mixed experimental stocks, the odds of being eaten by sea stars were about four times greater for M. trossulus. We also showed that A. rubens preferred smaller mussels to larger ones, irrespective of their species affinity. Our findings support earlier indirect observations showing that sea stars recognize M. trossulus as a more preferable prey than M. edulis. Dramatic differences in the vulnerability to sea star predation may explain the segregation of habitats between the two mussel species in contact zones; M. trossulus usually tends to occupy habitats where the sea star predators are scarce.
AB - Sea stars Asterias rubens are important natural enemies of the blue mussel Mytilus in the North Atlantic. We asked whether these predators distinguish between the cryptic species M. edulis and M. trossulus that occur sympatrically in the White Sea. In mixed experimental stocks, the odds of being eaten by sea stars were about four times greater for M. trossulus. We also showed that A. rubens preferred smaller mussels to larger ones, irrespective of their species affinity. Our findings support earlier indirect observations showing that sea stars recognize M. trossulus as a more preferable prey than M. edulis. Dramatic differences in the vulnerability to sea star predation may explain the segregation of habitats between the two mussel species in contact zones; M. trossulus usually tends to occupy habitats where the sea star predators are scarce.
KW - SMALL INTERTIDAL ANIMALS
KW - BLUE MUSSEL
KW - INDUCIBLE DEFENSES
KW - EFFECTS MODELS
KW - GENUS MYTILUS
KW - M. TROSSULUS
KW - BALTIC SEA
KW - PREDATOR
KW - HABITAT
KW - BEHAVIOR
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050949471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1086/697944
DO - https://doi.org/10.1086/697944
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85050949471
VL - 234
SP - 85
EP - 95
JO - Biological Bulletin
JF - Biological Bulletin
SN - 0006-3185
IS - 2
ER -
ID: 27611632