- Published:
Daily activity pattern ofAstropecten aranciacus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) and two related species under natural conditions
Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen volume 31, pages 117–127 (1978)
Abstract
Daily activity patterns ofAstropecten aranciacus, A. bispinosus andA. jonstoni were investigated by means of SCUBA diving. The three species generally showed two peaks of activity, at dawn and dusk. However, the activity pattern was variable, depending upon site, depth and season. Two populations ofA. aranciacus showed only one daily peak at certain times of the year. These peaks were at night in one case, at noon in the other. Light appears to be an important factor governing the activity pattern.
Literature Cited
Burla, H., Ferlin, V., Pabst, B. & Ribi, G., 1972. Notes on the ecology ofAstropecten aranciacus. Mar. Biol.14, 235–241.
Castilla, J. C., 1971. Responses to light ofAsterias rubens. In: Proceedings of the 4th European Symposium on Marine Biology. Ed. by D. J. Crip. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 495–511.
Ebling, F. J., Hawkins, A. D., Kitching, J. A., Muntz, L. & Pratt, V. M., 1966. The ecology of Lough Ine XVI. Predation and diurnal migration in theParacentrotus community. J. Anim. Ecol.35, 559–566.
Fenchel, T., 1965. Feeding biology of the sea starLuidia sarsi Düben & Koren. Ophelia2, 223–236.
Magnus, D. B. E., 1963. Der FedersternHeterometra savignyi im Roten Meer. Natur Mus., Frankf.93, 355–368.
Mori, S. & Matutani, K., 1952. Studies on the daily rhythmic activity of the starfish,Astropecten polyacanthus (Müller & Tröschel) and the accompanied physiological rhythms. Publs Seto Mar. biol. Lab.2, 213–225.
Naylor, E., 1958. Spontaneous tidal and diurnal rhythms of locomotory activity inCarcinus maenas (L.). J. exp. Biol.35, 602–610.
Ribi, G., Burla, H. & Ochsner, P., 1976. Beobachtungen über Vorkommen, Abundanzen und Körpergrößen von mediterranen Arten der GattungAstropecten. Helgoländer wiss. Meeresunters.28, 304–317.
Ribi, G., Schärer, R. & Ochsner, P. Stomach contents and size frequency distributions of two coexisting sea star species,Astropecten aranciacus andA. bispinosus, with reference to competition. Mar. Biol.43, 181–185.
Thain, V. M., 1971. Diurnal rhythms in snails and starfish In: Proceedings of the 4th European Symposium on Marine Biology. Ed. by D. J. Crisp. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 513–537.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ferlin-Lubini, V., Ribi, G. Daily activity pattern ofAstropecten aranciacus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) and two related species under natural conditions. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 31, 117–127 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02296993
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02296993