The relationship between seaweed diet and purple ink production in Aplysia dactylomela rang, 1828 (gastropoda: opisthobranchia) from Northeastern Brazil.
From: Journal of Shellfish Research
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Date: 8/1/2004
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Author: Barreira, Luciana Aires; Bezerra, Luis Ernesto Arruda; Carvalho, Ana Fontenele Urano; Melo, Vania Maria Maciel; Nogueira, Vanessa Lucia Rodrigues; Silva, Jose Roberto Feitosa; Vasconselos, Ilka Maria
ABSTRACT Aplysia dactylomela is a large marine opisthobranch gastropod, which inhabits shallow tropical shoreline regions, eats red and green algae, and releases a purple ink when disturbed. Many functions have been proposed for this secretion and although there is no consensus on this, some of its constituents are believed to be derived from the red algal diet, it may provide the snail with a substantial survival advantage. A. californica only produces ink when it ingests red ...
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