Relations between distribution and mode of life of asteroid populations in odawa bay

概要

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In a small cove, Odawa Bay, at the Pacific coast of central Japan, the modes of life of starfishes collected by a small Danish seine were surveyed. On Astropeeten scoparius, A. polyacanthus and Luidia quinaria of five species of starfish collected, theri foods were examined by gut contents analysis. Food of both species of Astropecten was resemble with each other, but it was different with it of L. quinaria which feeds mainly on ophiurans. Distributions of asteroids in the bay were revealed; A. scoparius and Asterias amurensis were found in bay-head area having muddy sediment, A. polyacanthus is found in the same area on rocks or pbbles, and L. quinaria in extensive areas with soft bottom over the bay. The breeding seasons of starfishes were estimated that both species of Astropecten were May-June, L. quinaria around August, A. amurensis February-April, and A. pectinifera April-May. From the results above, it would be considered that the five asteroids having the modes of life resemble each others coexist in Odawa Bay shifting mutually their food habit, habitat, breeding season and so on.
日本ベントス学会の論文