Population Characteristics and Food Resource Utilization of Conus in the Galapagos Islands

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1978-07
Authors
Nybakken, James
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University of Hawaii Press
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Abstract
Two large collections of Conus from the Galapagos Islands permitted the analysis of size, sex ratio, and food of 4 of the estimated 13 species of Conus present in the islands. The species investigated were C. diadema, C. lucidus, C. tiaratus, and C. nux. Significantly unequal sex ratios were found in the samples of C. diadema, C. lucidus, and C. tiaratus, but there was no indication of sexual dimorphism in shell sizes. Conus diadema was found to have the most catholic diet of the species, consuming mainly polychaetes of the family Terebellidae, but also sipunculids, mollusks, and eight other polychaete families. Very few food items were recovered from the guts of C. lucidus and most were polychaetes of the families Sabellariidae and Capitellidae. Conus tiaratus and C. nux were both found to feed primarily on polychaetes of the families Nereidae and Eunicidae. In both cases, the dominant species was Nereis jacksoni. Comparison of diets between cognate species in the Galapagos and the Indo-West Pacific indicated the Galapagos species consumed somewhat different prey species. Although there are significantly fewer Conus speCies peihabitafiri the Galapagos than in the Indo-West Pacific, fhere were no significant differences with respect to number of prey species consumed or prey species diversity between the areas. Thus, there was no evidence of decreased dietary specialization in the presence of fewer competing congeners.
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Nybakken J. 1978. Population characteristics and food resource utilization of Conus in the Galapagos Islands. Pac Sci 32(3): 271-280.
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