The feeding behavior of a predatory planktonic copepod, <i>Torlanus discaudatus</i>1

Abstract

Adult females of Tortanus discaudatus can capture nearly all of the developmental stages (nauplius III to copepodid IV) of a probable natural prey species Calanus pacificus. Tortanus appears to search at random for prey and the capture of prey to depend on tactile stimuli. The relationship between ingestion rate of Tortanus and prey (nauplius stage III or V) density is satisfactorily described by an Ivlev curve, with maximum ingestion rates falling within the range of natural prey densities.