A comparative study of the maxillary setae for two coexisting species of Hyalella (Amphipoda), a filter feeder and a detritus feeder
Wagner VT and Blinn DW. 1987. A comparative study of the maxillary setae for two coexisting species of Hyalella (Amphipoda), a filter feeder and a detritus feeder. Archiv für Hydrobiologie. 109(3):409-419
Hyalella azteca and H. montezuma both inhabit Montezuma Well, although they occupy different areas of the well and use different feeding strategies, one is a filter feeder and the other a detritus feeder. The maxillary setae of each are examined, with the greater number and length of maxillary setae on H. montezuma allows it to utilize the ultraplankton in the pelagic region of Montezuma Well; includes figures, tables, and references. The structural morphologies of maxillae 1 and 2 on two co-occurring congeneric amphipods with different feeding strategies were compared using the scanning electron microscope. Hyalella azteca is found within the vegetation along the shores of Montezuma Well, Arizona, and feeds on detritus. In contrast, the endemic H. montezuma swims freely in the pelagic zone of this system; it obtains at least part of its food by filter feeding on ultraplankton. There is a notable difference in the size of certain feeding structures between species; maxillae 1 and 2 are 2-3 times larger on H. montezuma. The larger maxillae size is accompanied by a 13-fold increase in the area covered by filtering barbed setae, each of which is 3-4 times longer than those found on H. azteca. We propose that the increase in number and length of maxillary setae on the endemic H. montezuma allows this species to utilize the abundant ultraplankton in the pelagic region of the Well. (Copied verbatim from the journal article.)
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Wagner, Vincent; Blinn, Dean
- Units
- MOCA
- Keywords
- 3, Amphipods (Amphipoda), Animals, Colorado Plateau, Feeding Behavior, Hyalella azteca (amphipod), Hyalella montezuma (amphipod), Invertebrates, Montezuma Well (MOCA), Nice, NRCA