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First Experimental Evidence for Zoophagy in the Hepatic Colura
Author(s) -
Barthlott W.,
Fischer E.,
Frahm J.P.,
Seine R.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1055/s-2000-9150
Subject(s) - biology , protozoa , epiphyte , ciliata , zoology , function (biology) , trap (plumbing) , botany , ecology , evolutionary biology , environmental engineering , engineering
Some hepatics, especially epiphytic species, possess lobules or water sacs on their leaves that appear to function as stores. In Pleurozia and Colura, these water sacs have very complex openings that can be closed by a movable lid, which prompted the hypothesis that these water sacs could function as a trap‐like mechanism for small animals, which are occasionally found in these organs. Experiments revealed that protozoa (ciliata), which feed on bacteria on the surface of the plants, are trapped in the water sacs. We propose that these trap mechanisms function for zoophagy, but there is no clear evidence that the protozoa are specifically attracted to the hepatic.