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From: bob@brspyr1.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.misc
Subject: Re: Oyster predation?
Message-ID: <1223@brspyr1.BRS.Com>
Date: Thu, 11-Jun-87 13:03:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: brspyr1.1223
Posted: Thu Jun 11 13:03:49 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jun-87 08:27:57 EDT
References: <13496@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA>
Organization: BRS Info Technologies, Latham NY
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Xref: utgpu sci.bio:360 sci.misc:277

in article <13496@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA>, dplatt@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA (Dave Platt) says:
> 
> Are there any marine biologists out there?  If so, I have a question:
> what sort of animals prey upon oysters?  Specifically, are there any
> species of starfish that eat oysters? [I seem to recall reading that
> some starfish prey upon clams... are their tastes eclectic?]

Well, I used to be a marine biologist.  I remember enough to answer
in a general way.  Starfish are not very fussy, and will indeed eat
oysters, clams, scallops, or whatever else they can wrap themselves
around.

However, as far as oysters are concerned (or the people that raise
them commericially) the oyster drill is a bigger problem in most
areas.  "Oyster drill" is the common name for several species of
predatory marine gastropods (members of the Order Gastropoda).
They do exactly what their name implies - they drill holes in
oysters (or other bivalves) and eat them.  I eat oysters too,
but I believe I have a rather negligible impact on the population.
-- 
Bob Armao  (bob@brspyr1)           |   Took my gal to the baseball game.  
UUCP: ihnp4!dartvax!brspyr1!bob    |   I kissed her between the strikes.
BRS Information Technologies       |   She kissed me between the balls.
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