Wednesday   October 27, 1999   07:31

Dear Bob and all,

Are the Olives in your tank only one species?

I know that large Olives as incrassta or porphyrya
usually eat the smaller Olivellas. I wonder if they
prey also the young specimens one to another.

The chemioreception in location of food is a well
known mechanism (Kohn, 1961). The Neogastropoda
as the Olives own a structure called osphradium
for this purpose. This is present also in other
Gastropoda but in the Neogastropoda the osphradium
is more efficient, enlarged and the whole organ has
a bipectinate appearance. It is located in the mantle cavity
always directly in the path of water enter in it.

The chemioreception is surely helpful in mating, and the 
Olives own two sex. This mean that probably each
species has one's own "smell" ? If so one species is able
to identify another species (by a different smell) and 
then to recognize it as a possible prey.

If the Olives secrete a species-specific substance we
also understand why they get an advantage out to live 
in colonies: it's more easy to meet the other sex and the 
youngs are more safe.

Of course that is only a my idea...and yours ??

Ciao to all, Maurizio.

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-----Messaggio originale-----
Da:     Robert & Betty Lipe [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Inviato:        mercoledì 27 ottobre 1999 2.28
A:      [log in to unmask]
Oggetto:        Re: Cone Wars II--Killer Olives

It's a fact, Olives are predators and like fresh meat.  In my aquarium
they loved fresh fish.  They will pick up small univalves and store them
in the back of their foot which they tuck under to form a purse and just
keep on crawling or burrow in the gravel with their prey.  I've seen it
many times.

Bob Lipe