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Trends in Applied Sciences Research

Year: 2008 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 2 | Page No.: 189-195
DOI: 10.17311/tasr.2008.189.195
Feeding Biology with Reference to Algal Preferance and Scanning Electron Microscopy Studies on the Radula of Turbo brunneus
R. Ramesh and S. Ravichandran

Abstract: Scanning Electron Microscopic studies on the radula of Turbo brunneus was made to study the anatomy of feeding apparatus. Feeding experiment was carried out to find out algal preference and rate of consumption. Study on the radula of Turbo brunneus possesses a large central rachidian tooth, five lateral teeth and many marginal teeth. The inner marginal situated towards the lateral teeth are formed of a strong extended primary cusp and a short secondary cusp along outer margin. Observation of T. brunneus in its natural habitat shows that they are mainly found in thickly grown algal fronds of Rhodophytes such as Hypnea sp. Ceramium miniatum and Gracilaria sp. Analysis on the gut content shows that the species of algae found in the gut vary during different months. The Rhodophytes dominate during most of the months. Crustose coralline algae always form a considerable part in the gut content during all seasons. Turbo brunneus consumed most of the algae fed to them, Ceramium miniatum and Hypnea muciformis are found to be higher with 3.67% and 3.46% b.wt. day-1, respectively.

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How to cite this article
R. Ramesh and S. Ravichandran, 2008. Feeding Biology with Reference to Algal Preferance and Scanning Electron Microscopy Studies on the Radula of Turbo brunneus. Trends in Applied Sciences Research, 3: 189-195.

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