Ecology Summary - Trichoplax adhaerens

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Ecology of Trichoplax adhaerens

Main Ref.	Pechenik, J.A., 2005
Remarks	Commonly found in warm marine environments (Ref. 57) and in marine aquaria (Ref. 59), on hard bottom substrates in the benthic regions (Ref. 53). A scavenger which feeds on dead animals with its ventral surface, which produces digestive enzymes (Ref. 53), and also feeds on Cryptomonas (Ref. 57 and 60) and algae (Ref. 59); often, individuals contract part of the ventral surface into a sac where digestion may take place more efficiently (Ref. 60).

Main Ref.

Pechenik, J.A., 2005

Remarks

Commonly found in warm marine environments (Ref. 57) and in marine aquaria (Ref. 59), on hard bottom substrates in the benthic regions (Ref. 53). A scavenger which feeds on dead animals with its ventral surface, which produces digestive enzymes (Ref. 53), and also feeds on Cryptomonas (Ref. 57 and 60) and algae (Ref. 59); often, individuals contract part of the ventral surface into a sac where digestion may take place more efficiently (Ref. 60).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Trichoplax adhaerens may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic; Hard Bottom;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Pechenik, J.A., 2005
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19)
Feeding type Ref.	Pechenik, J.A., 2005
Feeding habit	feeding on dead animals (scavenger)
Feeding habit Ref.	Pechenik, J.A., 2005

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	2.00	0.00			Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items.
Ref.

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