Spongivory in hawksbill turtles: a diet of glass
Meylan AB. 1988. Spongivory in hawksbill turtles: a diet of glass. Science. 239(4838):393-395
The hawskbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), an endangered marine turtle associated with coral reefs throughout the tropics, feeds almost exclusively on sponges in the Caribbean, and possibly throughout its range. It is one of fewer than a dozen vertebrates that are known to specialize on this widely distributed but well-defended food resource. The diet is taxonomically narrow and highly uniform geographically, includes sponges that are toxic to other veterebrates, and contains more silica that that of other vertebrates. By affecting space competition, spongivory by hawksbill may influence succession and diversity of reef communities.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Meylan, Anne
- Units
- HAVO
- Keywords
- Food, Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Sponges (Porifera)