Competitive interactions between the land snails Theba pisana (Müller) and Cernuella virgata (Da Costa) from South Australia
Smallridge, M.A.; Kirby, G.C. (1988). Competitive interactions between the land snails Theba pisana (Müller) and Cernuella virgata (Da Costa) from South Australia. J. Moll. Stud. 54(3): 251-258. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/54.3.251
In: Journal of Molluscan Studies. Oxford University Press: Reading. ISSN 0260-1230; e-ISSN 1464-3766, more
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| Keywords |
Cernuella virgata (Da Costa, 1778) [WoRMS]; Theba pisana (O. F. Müller, 1774) [WoRMS]
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| Authors | | Top |
- Smallridge, M.A.
- Kirby, G.C.
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| Abstract |
Changing distribution patterns of T. pisana and C. virgata at coastal sites around South Australia suggest T. pisana is replacing C. virgata in some areas. Under laboratory conditions C. virgata exhibits reduced survival and growth, is less active and feeds less when kept in the presence of T. pisana adults and/or their mucus and excrement. If the area of cooccurrence is large relative to the population size, C. virgata may be displaced to the less favourable habitats. No inhibition of the fecundity of C. virgata was seen. Both species also depress feeding intraspecifically T. pisana also preys on C. virgata under some conditions, not necessarily when food is limiting. It is suggested that these mechanisms act within co-occurring populations of the species and result in the exclusion of C. virgata from some areas. |
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