Spatial organization of foraging activity in Siphonaria lessoni from the SW Atlantic, Argentina.

PENCHASZADEH, P.E., CLEDÓN, M. & BIGATTI, G

Bulletin of the Malacological Society of London

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2003 vol. 41 p. 15 - 15

Abstract Siphonaria lessoni is the only gastropod species living in the upper litoral rocky shore in northern Argentina. S. lessoni do not show homming behavior. Excursions occur during splash of wave action or rain. Movements ares shown by a zig zag of mucus trails on vertical walls. Individuals of adult  S. lessoni were placed in an aquarium after allowing a microalgal film to grow on the walls. The limpets started to move and braze in a zig zag pattern. We conclude that the zig zag pattern of movement and grazing is an intrinsic behavior which is not related to microenvironmental heterogeneity and allows the limpets to explore and cover a wider surface area. This behavior could be linked with the lack of homming in this species.