Embryonic brooding in Crepipatella fecunda: Implications for processes related to maternal feeding

摘要: Abstract Females of the calyptraeid gastropod Crepipatella fecunda enclose their fertilized eggs in thin-walled egg capsules. They then brood these capsules for at least several weeks mantle cavity, near gills. Such brooding has potential to obstruct water flow through potentially interfering with particle capture and oxygen uptake. Surprisingly, this study shows that females increase speed which particles enter cavity fact overall rates capture, although there was no impact on rate moved along gill surface. Brooding were less able than non-brooding retain large-sized food (16–20 μm), but most incoming (2–16 μm) retained equally well by both groups. The combination embryos consumed faster females.