The Predacious Cladoceran Leptodora kindtii as a Prey for the Cyclopoid Copepod Mesocyclops sp.: Laboratory Observations of Predator-Prey Interaction

ABSTRACT

We observed the behavior of the cyclopoid copepod Mesocyclops sp. as it fed on the cladoceran Leptodora kindtii in the laboratory. The feeding efficiency (capture and ingestion successes) of Mesocyclops sp. was high for smaller L. kindtii (<2.5 mm in body size) but low for larger ones. Mesocyclops sp. ingested small L. kindtii whole, but often consumed parts of larger L. kindtii. The handling time increased as the L. kindtii body size increased, except when Mesocyclops sp. consumed only the second antennae. These laboratory observations suggest that Mesocyclops sp. may be a natural predator of small L. kindtii.