Egg viability of the rotifer Brachionus urceolaris after ingestion by the predatory cladoceran Leptodora kindtii |
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Authors: | Takamaru Nagata Masaki Sakamoto Yoshinari Tanaka and Takayuki Hanazato |
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Institution: | (1) Institute of Mountain Science, Shinshu University, Kogandori 5-2-4, Suwa 392-0027, Japan;(2) Research Center for Environmental Risk, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa 16-2, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan;(3) Present address: Department of Environmental Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, 5180 Kurokawa Imizu-shi, Toyama 939-0398, Japan |
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Abstract: | Egg resistance against the digestive process of a predator is an effective strategy for zooplankton to compensate population
loss due to predation. Parthenogenetic eggs of the rotiferan Brachionus urceolaris, which were ingested by the predatory cladoceran Leptodora kindtii, were expelled from the feeding basket of the predator without digestion. We found a negative correlation between the unconsumed
ratio of eggs after ingestion and body length of the predator. As high as 75% of the unconsumed eggs successfully hatched
and the hatch ratio was independent of body length of L. kindtii. Our results indicate that the rotifer has an effective strategy to maintain its population in the environment with abundant
invertebrate predators. |
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