Swimming speed of larval snail does not correlate with size and ciliary beat frequency.

ABSTRACT: Many marine invertebrates have planktonic larvae with cilia used for both propulsion and capturing of food particles. Hence, changes in ciliary activity have implications for larval nutrition and ability to navigate the water column, which in turn affect survival and dispersal. Using high-speed high-resolution microvideography, we examined the relationship between swimming speed, velar arrangements, and ciliary beat frequency of freely swimming veliger larvae of the gastropod Crepidula fornicata over the course of larval development. Average swimming speed was greatest 6 days post hatching, suggesting a reduction in swimming speed towards settlement. At a given age, veliger larvae have highly variable speeds (0.8-4 body lengths s(-1)) that are independent of shell size. Contrary to the hyp

SUBMITTER: Chan KY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3867405 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature