Abstract
IT has been known for many years1 that the opisthobranchiate gastropod Pleurobranchus membranaceas (Montagu) is able to produce acid secretions if roughly handled, and the obvious inference is that these secretions deter would-be predators (especially carnivorous fish). More recently, this inference was given a scientific basis in experiments with pleurobranchids and marine fish in the Port Erin Aquarium2. During the past few months an attempt has been made to ascertain whether acids were secreted by gastropods other than P. membranaceus, and the purpose of this communication is to present some preliminary findings.
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References
Garstang, W., J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 1, 399 (1890).
Thompson, T. E., and Slinn, D. J., J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K. (in the press).
Bateson, W., J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 1, 225 (1890).
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THOMPSON, T. Defensive Acid-Secretion in Some Marine Gastropods. Nature 184, 1162 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1841162b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1841162b0
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