Abstract
The analysis of predation traces on shelled taxa is a primary source of data for studying predator–prey interactions in both modern and past ecosystems, and provides valuable information along ecological and evolutionary timescales. For Antarctica, there is little information about predation traces on shelled taxa, and the available studies come almost entirely from fossil remains. We examined traces (holes and cracks) attributed to different predators on mollusc shells from bottom benthic communities at 15 stations in West Antarctica, at depths between 71.5 and 754 m. Based on 72 shells with signs of predation, we recognized three different patterns: one produced by drilling gastropods (most probably naticids), and two others interpreted as caused by octopuses. Our results indicate that predation traces on bivalves, which were the most common prey, are nonrandomly distributed, suggesting site selectivity by predators. Future work on predation traces by durophages on shelled Antarctic molluscs is still a pending and necessary issue.
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Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to all members of the team working aboard the RV ARA Puerto Deseado during the Antarctic Expeditions CAV 2011 and CAV 2012. Thanks are extended to Jennifer Mather who kindly exchanged opinions with the first author and to Louise Allcock, who provided taxonomic information based on photographs of octopus species collected at some stations. We also thank Patricia H. Kelley, Elizabeth M. Harper and an anonymous reviewer who critically reviewed an early version of the manuscript and provided many helpful comments and constructive suggestions, and to Dieter Piepenburg, the editor in chief, for accompanying the review process.
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This research was supported by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET; Project- PIP-114–201101-00238 to SG), Dirección Nacional del Antártico (DNA) and Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA).
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The first author conceived and designed research and wrote the manuscript. SG and MM participated in sample collection. All authors analyzed the data, discussed the results and approved the final manuscript.
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Gordillo, S., Morán, G.A. & Malvé, M.E. Octopuses and drilling snails as the main suspects of predation traces on shelled molluscs in West Antarctica. Polar Biol 45, 127–141 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02975-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02975-5