Diet, behaviour and reproduction of the whelk Buccinum undatum in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, eastern Canada

摘要: We examine the use of prey resources and seasonal variations in behaviour reproduction for whelk Buccinum undatum, most abundant subtidal carnivore northern Gulf St. Lawrence. Whelks used this study were collected Mingan Islands 1987 1988. The proportion whelks with food their stomachs varies seasonally further habitat, being greatest on sandy bottoms. It decreases at onset breeding spring is generally low through summer. Fragments certain organisms (e.g. polychaetes, bivalves, urchins) suggest that they are active predators. However, predation virtually never seen field. Other stomachs, infrequent feeding, high mobility capacity to detect locate dead animals bottom carrion feeders. amount available probably insufficient meet needs biomass present these waters. An interaction seastars may contribute whelk's diet. They frequently approach which extracting bivalves from sediment bottoms benefit by feeding remains left or foraging sediments recently disturbed seastars.