The Influence of Diet on Local Distributions of Cypraea

Abstract

The distribution of Cypraea in two habitat 'zones at Puako reef on the island of Hawaii was examined. Three species, Cypraea gaskoini, C. cicercula, and C. scurra, were found only in the reef face stud y site, and two species, C. poraria and C. caputserpentis, were found only in the reef top study site. Active individuals of all species were distributed nonrandomly with respect to substrate type. For reef face species the distribution of individuals appeared to be related to diet , with sponge the major dietary component of each of four reef face species. One cowrie was found to be prey specific for one species of sponge , and the distribution of C. gaskoini appeared to be dependent on the distribution of its prey sponge.