Meeting Abstract

P3.110  Wednesday, Jan. 6  Responses of Mud Snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta) to Synthetic Trails ZONG, J.; MAXSON, K.; FUH, J.; RITTSCHOF, D.*; Duke Univeristy Marine Laboratory, Beaufort; Duke Univeristy Marine Laboratory, Beaufort; Duke Univeristy Marine Laboratory, Beaufort; Duke Univeristy Marine Laboratory, Beaufort ritt@duke.edu

All gastropods produce mucus trails during locomotion. Other snails contacting the trails follow them in the direction they were laid. The mechanism of directionality is unknown. To determine if directionality is a physical feature of the trail, we created synthetic gastropod trails using a large sugar polymer, sodium alginate. Alginate cross-links when exposed to divalent cations in seawater. Trails were generated with a circular stamp and by dragging alginate-soaked cotton swabs in clock wise or counter clockwise directions in glass bowls. Mud snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta) responses to the stamped trails were not directional. Snails followed the swabbed alginate trails in the direction they were laid. Snails were tested with swabbed alginate trails embedded with predator odor, crushed conspecific extract and, conspecific odors and food extract. Snails thatfollowed trails embedded with predator odor or crushed conspecific extract away from the direction of dragging. Trails embedded with conspecific odor or prey extract were followed towards the direction of dragging. During the breeding season, trails were imbedded with male and female sex pheromones. Sexually active males and females disregarded trails embedded with same-sex pheromones. Females followed male pheromone trails in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Males followed clockwise female pheromone trails and did not follow counterclockwise trails. Snails integrate textural and chemical information.