>Thanks, Andrew. Do they have large "tongues"? Or how do they snare their
>prey and how do they chomp down?
Jean-Maurice Poutiers & Frank R Bernard say:
"Euciroa eburnes shows a number of interesting similarities to the
Verticordiidae and the Poromyidae. The presence of large labial palps
separates it at family level (Euciroa, Acreuciroa now in Euciroidae -
AG). It shows a number of adaptations to macrophagy, but lacks any
vestige of the "valvular membrane" associated with the inhalant
siphon which can be extruded as a raptorial hood (Morton, 1981b,
1985a, c). It is difficult to visualize how the minute inhalant
fissure could be readily expanded, but the thickening of the mantle
margins containing haemocoels and numerous muscle fibres may play a
role. Mechanism of predation in Euciroa could be similar to the
method supposedly used by verticordiids to capture bottom living
preys (Morton, 1987)."
-Carnivorous bivalve molluscs (Anomalodesmata) from the tropical
western Pacific Ocean, with a proposed classification and a catalogue
of Recent species, Resultata des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, Volume 14, Mem.
Mus. natnl. Hist. 167: 107-187, 1995.
I have seen a drawing of Euciroa, or was it Parilimya or Poromya
(dangit, I can't find the paper now), which showed the animal
engulfing a sizable crustacean with a large flap extended from the
shell, said flap being about half the size of the shell when viewed
in profile. It must be extruded with a snap, I'd think.
Tridacna eats reef fossickers too, don't forget ;-)
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
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