Do micro snails follow conspecific mucous trails? Experiments with Vallonia excentrica (Pulmonata: Valloniidae)

摘要

We examined whether the terrestrial micro snail Vallonia excentrica Sterki, 1893 detects and follows conspecific mucous trails. A trail-layer snail moved on a transparent 5 x 5 cm plastic sheet to establish a mucous trail then was removed. A trail-follower snail of the same species was allowed to move on the same plastic sheet. Of 30 trials, 24 trail-followers encountered the laid trail. We compared with null models the distance that the trail-follower trail was coincident with the laid trail, and the turning angle of the trail-follower trail upon meeting the laid trail, to determine that V. excentrica follows conspecific mucous trails more, and showed sharper turning angles upon meeting a trail, than expected by the null model.