Feeding and distribution of predatory gastropods on the Great Barrier Reef

The distribution, size and diet of predatory gastropods was investigated on 4 reef platforms on the Great Barrier Reef: Low Isles, Green Island, Heron Island and One Tree Island. Some additional data was also collected from Ellison Reef.Gastropod diets were determined from analysis of undigested prey remains (polychaete setae and jaws, gastropod radulae, jaws, and opercula, sipunculan hooks, fish bones and scales) in gastropod faeces. Prey were identified to species where possible, but in many cases only family-level identification was possible. To estimate predator preference, the relative abundance of prey in diets of all gastropods from Heron Island Reef was estimated. This research was undertaken to investigate dietary specialization, body-size/prey diversity relationships and distribution of Conus and other predatory gastropods on reefs of the Great Barrier Reef.本研究针对大堡礁（Great Barrier Reef）的4处礁平台——洛岛群（Low Isles）、绿岛（Green Island）、赫伦岛（Heron Island）与单树岛（One Tree Island），对掠食性腹足类（predatory gastropods）的分布、体型及食性展开调查。另有部分数据采自埃利森礁（Ellison Reef）。通过分析腹足类粪便中的未消化猎物遗骸（涵盖多毛类（polychaete）刚毛与颚、腹足类齿舌、颚及厣、星虫类（sipunculan）钩、鱼类骨骼与鳞片），确定了腹足类的食性。研究尽可能将猎物鉴定至物种水平，但多数情况下仅能完成科级分类鉴定。为评估捕食者的食性偏好，本研究估算了赫伦岛礁所有腹足类食性内猎物的相对丰度。 本研究旨在探究大堡礁礁区中芋螺属（Conus）及其他掠食性腹足类的食性特化、体型与猎物多样性间的关联，以及其分布情况。