Free-living, planktonic larvae can be vulnerable to capture and ingestion by adult suspension-feeders. This is particularly the case for larvae that settle gregariously in benthic environments where suspension-feeders occur at high densities. Larvae of gregarious suspension-feeding species are at particularly high risk, as adults of their own species often serve as cues for metamorphosis. We conducted laboratory experiments to assess the extent to which adults of the suspension-feeding caenogastropod Crepipatella peruviana would capture and ingest their own larvae. Experiments were conducted with adults of different sizes, with larvae of different ages and sizes, and in the presence or absence of phytoplankton. Adults captured larvae in all experiments. The presence of microalgae in the water did not influence the extent of larval capture. On average, 39% of larvae were captured during the 3-h feeding periods, regardless of adult size. However, up to 34% of the larvae that were captured on the gill were later discarded as pseudofaeces; the other 64% were ingested. The extent of capture by adults was not related to adult size, or to larval size and, thus, to larval age. Our results suggest that the filtration of congeneric larvae by adult C. peruviana is a result of accidental capture rather than a deliberate feeding preference. Such ingestion could, however, still be an important source of larval mortality, especially when the advanced larvae of this species are searching for a suitable substrate for metamorphosis.

中文翻译：

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悬浮摄食的腹足动物秘鲁绦虫捕获同种浮游幼虫：成虫和幼虫大小之间的关联

自由生活的浮游幼虫很容易被成年悬浮饲养者捕获和摄入。对于在高密度悬浮喂食器出现的底栖环境中成群定居的幼虫来说尤其如此。群居悬浮摄食物种的幼虫风险特别高，因为它们自己物种的成虫通常是变态的线索。我们进行了实验室实验，以评估悬浮喂养的caenogastropod Crepipatella peruviana 的成虫捕获和摄取自己的幼虫的程度。实验是在不同大小的成虫、不同年龄和大小的幼虫以及是否存在浮游植物的情况下进行的。成虫在所有实验中都捕获了幼虫。水中微藻的存在不影响幼虫捕获的程度。平均而言，在 3 小时喂养期间捕获了 39% 的幼虫，无论成虫大小如何。然而，高达 34% 的在鳃上捕获的幼虫后来被当作假粪便丢弃；其他 64% 被摄入。成虫的捕获程度与成虫大小或幼虫大小无关，因此与幼虫年龄无关。我们的研究结果表明，成虫 C. peruviana 对同类幼虫的过滤是意外捕获的结果，而不是故意的摄食偏好。然而，这种摄入可能仍然是幼虫死亡的重要来源，特别是当该物种的高级幼虫正在寻找合适的变态基质时。高达 34% 的在鳃上捕获的幼虫后来被当作假粪便丢弃；其他 64% 被摄入。成虫的捕获程度与成虫大小或幼虫大小无关，因此与幼虫年龄无关。我们的研究结果表明，成虫 C. peruviana 对同类幼虫的过滤是意外捕获的结果，而不是故意的摄食偏好。然而，这种摄入可能仍然是幼虫死亡的重要来源，特别是当该物种的高级幼虫正在寻找合适的变态基质时。高达 34% 的在鳃上捕获的幼虫后来被当作假粪便丢弃；其他 64% 被摄入。成虫的捕获程度与成虫大小或幼虫大小无关，因此与幼虫年龄无关。我们的研究结果表明，成虫 C. peruviana 对同类幼虫的过滤是意外捕获的结果，而不是故意的摄食偏好。然而，这种摄入可能仍然是幼虫死亡的重要来源，特别是当该物种的高级幼虫正在寻找合适的变态基质时。peruviana 是意外捕获的结果，而不是故意的喂养偏好。然而，这种摄入可能仍然是幼虫死亡的重要来源，特别是当该物种的高级幼虫正在寻找合适的变态基质时。peruviana 是意外捕获的结果，而不是故意的喂养偏好。然而，这种摄入可能仍然是幼虫死亡的重要来源，特别是当该物种的高级幼虫正在寻找合适的变态基质时。