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However, most of other researchers do not agree that Nectocaris actually being a cephalopod or even mollusk. [139] [140] Early cephalopods were likely predators near the top of the food chain. [24] After the late Cambrian extinction led to the disappearance of many Radiodonts, predatory niches became available for other animals. [141]
Anti-predator adaptation in action: the kitefin shark (a–c) and the Atlantic wreckfish (d–f) attempt to prey on hagfishes. First, the predators approach their potential prey. Predators bite or try to swallow the hagfishes, but the hagfishes have already projected jets of slime (arrows) into the predators' mouths.
A predator might release a chemical cue which could cause its prey to vertically migrate away. [27] This may stimulate the prey to vertically migrate to avoid said predator. The introduction of a potential predator species, like a fish, to the habitat of diel vertical migrating zooplankton has been shown to influence the distribution patterns ...
Without such shells, slugs produce mucus, that may also contain toxins—to deter predators. Terrestrial slugs produce two other forms of mucus that facilitate locomotion and prevent death from drying. Such mollusks are hermaphroditic. Slugs most often function as decomposers but are also often omnivores.
The surface-dwelling nudibranch, Glaucus atlanticus, is a specialist predator of siphonophores, such as the Portuguese man o' war. This predatory mollusc sucks air into its stomach to keep it afloat, and using its muscular foot, it clings to the surface film.
Various body parts of the crustacean will have a different mineral content, varying the hardness at these locations with the harder areas being generally stronger. This calcite shell provides protection for the crustaceans, meaning between molting cycles the crustacean must avoid predators while it waits for its calcite shell to form and harden.
A veined octopus eating a crab.. Unlike most other molluscs, all cephalopods are active predators (with the possible exceptions of the bigfin squid and vampire squid).Their need to locate and capture their prey has likely been the driving evolutionary force behind the development of their intelligence.
Although zooplankton are primarily transported by ambient water currents, many have locomotion, used to avoid predators (as in diel vertical migration) or to increase prey encounter rate. Just as any species can be limited within a geographical region, so are zooplankton.