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（Low Isles）、绿岛（Green Island）、赫伦岛（Heron Island）与一树岛（One Tree Island）上的掠食性腹足类（predatory gastropods）的分布、个体大小与食性展开了调查，同时还从埃利森礁（Ellison Reef）采集了部分补充数据。研究人员通过分析腹足类粪便中未被消化的猎物残骸——包括多毛类（polychaete）的刚毛与颚、腹足类的齿舌（radula）、颚与厣（operculum）、星虫类（sipunculan）的钩状物以及鱼类骨骼与鳞片——来确定其食性。研究尽可能对猎物开展物种水平的分类鉴定，但多数情况下仅能实现科一级的分类识别。为评估掠食者的食性偏好，研究人员对赫伦岛礁所有腹足类的食物组成中猎物的相对丰度进行了估算。本研究旨在探究大堡礁礁坪上芋螺属（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，以及该类群的分布格局。