Radular Kinetics During Grazing in Helisoma Trivolvis (Gastropoda: Pulmonata)

Three models for radular feeding in gastropod molluscs have been proposed: (1) odontophoral licking, where the radula is fixed to, and is directed by, a dynamic cartilage; (2) rope-and-pulley rasping, where the radula is dynamic and slides over a static cartilage; and (3) moving-conveyor-belt rasping, which involves independent though concurrent movements both of the radula and of the underlying cartilage. The implications of these alternative mechanical processes with regard to machine efficiency and to feeding optimality are considered. During radular feeding, individual Helisoma trivolvis (Say) employ the model which affords optimality both of food excavation and of food transport. Results showedthat the radula of this species slides over the underlying cartilage while the cartilage independently accelerates across the substrate during each effective feeding stroke. Relative velocities (of the ribbon and of the odontophoral cartilage, VR: VO) ranged from 0.67:1 to 0.92:1 and these values were positively correlated with food availability.