Extracoelenteric zooplankton feeding is a key mechanism of nutrient acquisition for the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis

Extracoelenteric zooplankton feeding is a key mechanism of nutrient acquisition for the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis

Tim WijgerdeRara DiantariMuhammad Wahyudin LewaruJohan A. J. VerrethRonald Osinga

Internal and external feeding on zooplankton may provide scleractinian corals with important nutrients. […] To quantify the dynamics of zooplankton capture, digestion and release for a scleractinian coral, we performed detailed video analyses… On average, 98.6% of prey captured was not ingested. Instead, prey items were clustered into aggregates that were digested externally by mesenterial filaments.

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