Well, i've heard that Tonna galea feeds on shrimp also. But i
couldn't check it...

Regards
Fabio Wiggers


--- Alexander Kerr <[log in to unmask]> escreveu:
> Gday all,
>
> Im writing a paper on feeding in Tonnidae.  Ive collected
> numerous
> observations from the field and the literature on feeding in
> the genus
> Tonna.
>
> Despite some early reports to the contrary, Tonna appears to
> feed
> exclusively on sea cucumbers, almost always by engulfing them
> with their
> huge, extensible proboscis.  Its quite amazing to watch and
> the cuke often
> puts on an equally stellar defensive display, sometimes to
> good effect.
>
> I neednt catch them in the act of feeding to record their prey
> as they also
> have the wonderful property of recording their last few meals:
> I simply
> isolate them in a clean bucket for a day or two and they soon
> defecate sea-
> cucumber spicules, which can then be identified to species.
>
> However, I have yet to run across in the field or in the
> literature examples
> of feeding in the tonnid Malea (Quimalea).  Its thickened and
> ornamented lip
> would seem to rule out Tonna-style feeding and possibly
> therefore, a diet of
> cukes.
>
> Hence, has anyone ever seen or heard of a Malea feeding and if
> so, what was
> it feeding on?
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Alex
>
> Alexander M Kerr
> Centre for Coral Reef Biodiversity
> Department of Marine Biology
> James Cook University
> Townsville QLD 4811 Australia
> Tel: 61 7 4779 9758
> http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/mbiolaq/staff/akerr.html
> http://kerrlab.atspace.com/
>
>
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