New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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THE FUNCTION OF FRESHWATER CRAYFISH GASTROLITHS AND THEIR OCCURRENCE IN PERCH, TROUT, AND SHAG STOMACHS

D. Scott
K. W. Duncan

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Abstract It is considered that the function of the gastroliths is to provide a readily available store of calcium for rapid initial hardening of the exoskeleton. The presence of crayfish gastroliths in stomachs of trout, perch, and shags is noted and it is suggested that while small crayfish are taken at any stage of the moult cycle, larger crayfish are taken after ecdysis while the exoskeleton is soft.

N.Z. Jl mar. Freshwat. Res. 2: 99-104
Received for publication 9 March 1967

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (625K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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