Shrinkage Thresholds in Freshwater Triclads

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

E-ISSN: 1939-9170|49|3|584-586

ISSN: 0012-9658

Source: Ecology, Vol.49, Iss.3, 1968-05, pp. : 584-586

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Abstract

Several species of triclad have the ability to shrink to an extremely small size before succumbing to starvation. In the laboratory, size and age (up to 12 months) per se do not appear to influence the threshold length at which mortality occurs in Dugesia lugubris when starved. But in those individuals which have bred, the threshold is increased from 1.0mm to 1.8mm. It appears unlikely that this contrast is important in nature because other factors cause mortality before such thresholds are reached.