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Ethological observations on foraging behavior of the ctenophore Leucothea sp. in the open sea 1
Author(s) -
Hamner W. M.,
Strand S. W.,
Matsumoto G. I.,
Hamner P. P.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1987.32.3.0645
Subject(s) - foraging , zooplankton , thermocline , water column , diel vertical migration , ecology , biology , environmental science , oceanography , geology
Of all the Leucothea seen during daylight dives in the Catalina Channel, 45% were between the depths of 18 and 22 m, usually feeding at the thermocline on a layer of copepods, primarily Clausocalanus . Undisturbed individuals were observed and video recorded for periods up to 40 min. The ctenophores actively selected specific depths for foraging and spent about 60% of their time foraging horizontally in the water column, 20% of their time swimming rapidly either directly upward or downward, and 20% of their time immobile and neutrally buoyant. The extent and importance of long‐distance horizontal foraging activity of zooplankton and the relationship of individual behavior of zooplankton to patch dynamics has been underestimated.