Some morphological and behavioural adaptations of pile perch (Rhacochilus vacca) feeding on mussels (Mytilus edulis)
- 1 March 1979
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Zoology
- Vol. 57 (3), 658-664
- https://doi.org/10.1139/z79-078
Abstract
Pile perch feed readily on single whole mussels. These were crunched by the massive pharyngeal teeth of the perch and swallowed completely without shell ejection. In the gut a mucous coating enveloped the fragmented shells protecting the mucosa from injury. The mucous envelope dissolved rapidly following defecation. X-rays of the intestine and sonic recording by hydrophone of the crunching sounds were used to follow digestion and trace the feeding frequency when browsing on a colony of mussels. At 10.degree. C, after 1 h of intensive feeding, the mussels took from 1-4 days to be completely digested. The shell fragments were unaffected by digestion. On a fixed photoperiod, feeding activity was confined to daylight hours except some exploratory browsing which occurred immediately prior to lights coming on. [The mariculture of perch was discussed.].This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- THE ALIMENTARY CANAL AND DIGESTIONPublished by Elsevier ,1957