The Rate of Feeding by Mytilus in Different Kinds of Suspension

Abstract

The feeding rate of small specimens of Mytilus edulis (L.) has been determined in suspensions of colloidal graphite (‘Prodag’, grade ‘C’, and ‘Aquadag’, grade ‘S’), of flagellates, and of Nitzschia dosterium. The feeding rate was measured as the volume of water cleared from particles per unit time. In graphite suspensions, with particle size of about 4–5μ, as a rule only a small percentage of the particles was retained by the gills, whereas flagellates of about the same size were normally nearly all retained.