On the feeding of copepods on Thalassiosira partheneia from the Northwest African upwelling area

Abstract

Copepod feeding on the colony-building diatom Thalassiosira partheneia was studied in spring 1975 in the Northwest African upwelling area. Healthy, whole colonies of T. partheneia diameter - 1 cm) were offered as food as well as single cells (diameter - 9 pm) after disintegration of the colonies. In addition, comparative experiments were carried out with the dinoflagellate Scrjppsiella trochoidea. None of the 13 copepod species studied was able to feed on the entire colony. However, feeding on single cells after disintegration of the colonies was found for 4 copepod species studied. The actual quantity of food intake ranged from 14.7 to 124.0 % body carbon per day. The lowest values were obtained for Calanus helgolandicus, the highest for Temora stylifera.