Zooplankton feeding by corals underestimated
Research by marine biologists from Wageningen University has shown that feeding on zooplankton by scleractinian corals has been greatly underestimated.
| Lima scabra |
| Written by Tim Wijgerde |
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Taxonomy: Lima scabra (Born, 1778) Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Limoida Family: Limidae Genus: Lima Species: scabra
The flame scallop or rough fileclam, Lima scabra, is a marine bivalve mollusc from the Limidae family. Although their name would suggest otherwise, flame scallops have no relation to scallops, besides their exterior. The flame scallop is found in the Caribbean Sea. They have a rough outer shell with a red mantle, which is surrounded by red and white tentacles. The flame scallop's vibrant red color is due to the large amount of carotenoids found within its body. Flame scallops can reach 7,5 cm (3 inches) in length. Gills are used for respiration and filtration. Flame scallops rest in their own nests made of small coral and rocks. Because flame scallops have no photosynthetic properties, they feed on phytoplankton. During the consumption process, flame scallops sift and sort through the phytoplankton with their gills to determine what is appropriate for ingestion. It is said that the health of flame scallops has a direct relationship to the amount of phytoplankton. Author: Tim Wijgerde References: Wikipedia www.eol.org |