Information
Ecological parameter: feeding habits according to Tachet
Parameter group: life & body related parameters
Explanation:
The trait describes the feeding habit of a species. Eight categories are defined. Absorbers are organisms able to directly uptake macromolecules from the environment with the tegument (e.g. some worms, Eristalis larvae). Deposit-feeders use small organic debris often deposited at the surface of (fine) sediments. Shredders (e.g. arthropods with a feeding apparatus of the primitive shredding type) eat coarse detritus, plant or animal material. Carvers, engulfers and swallowers are included in a single category (i.e. predators). Scrapers are grazing fine organic particles, microphytes and microinvertebrates of the periphyton (around macrophytes) and/or the perilithon (on hard substrates). Despite the variety of feeding strategies of filterers, they have been included in a single category only. Invertebrates that feed by piercing plants (e.g. filamentous algae for some Trichoptera of the family Hydroptilidae) or animals (e.g. some Heteroptera or Diptera families Tabanidae, Rhagionidae) are summarised in the "piercer" category. Parasites with a specialised feeding apparatus form the last category.
Tachet, H., Bournaud, M., Richoux, P. & Usseglio-Polatera, P. (2010): Invertébrés d'eau douce - systématique, biologie, écologie. CNRS Editions, Paris, 600 p.
Additional information:
Note that several classifications of the Tachet database are on higher taxonomic level than on species level. To display them in the list please enable "include higher taxonomic units" in the "advanced search".
Abbreviations:
| Category name: | Abbreviations: | Explanation: |
|---|---|---|
| absorbers | abs | feed through direct uptake of macromolecules from the environment |
| deposit feeders | dpf | feed on small organic debris |
| shredders | shr | feed on coarse detritus, plant or animal material |
| scrapers | scr | feed through grazing fine organic particles, microphytes and microinvertebrates of the periphyton and/or the perilithon |
| filter-feeders | fif | feed on suspended material |
| piercers (plants or animals) | pie | feed through piercing plants or animals |
| predators (carvers/engulfers/swallowers) | pre | feed on prey |
| parasites | par | feed on host |
| Taxagroup | Number of assigned taxa / total number of taxa - percentage |
|---|---|
| Bivalvia | 3 / 77 - 3.8% |
| Bryozoa | 6 / 19 - 31.5% |
| Coelenterata | 2 / 13 - 15.3% |
| Coleoptera | 52 / 2678 - 1.9% |
| Crustacea | 11 / 270 - 4% |
| Diptera (excl. Chironomidae) | 2 / 2404 - 0% |
| Ephemeroptera | 16 / 353 - 4.5% |
| Gastropoda | 15 / 241 - 6.2% |
| Heteroptera | 10 / 124 - 8% |
| Hirudinea | 10 / 68 - 14.7% |
| Kamptozoa | 1 / 1 - 100% |
| Lepidoptera | 4 / 19 - 21% |
| Nemertini | 1 / 1 - 100% |
| Odonata | 17 / 174 - 9.7% |
| Oligochaeta | 16 / 240 - 6.6% |
| Planipennia | 1 / 12 - 8.3% |
| Plecoptera | 9 / 576 - 1.5% |
| Polychaeta | 1 / 13 - 7.6% |
| Porifera | 3 / 12 - 25% |
| Trichoptera | 38 / 1439 - 2.6% |
| Turbellaria | 4 / 61 - 6.5% |