Evidence of external digestion of crustaceans in Octopus vulgaris paralarvae

Abstract

This paper reports, for the ¢rst time, the existence of external digestion of decapod larvae by the common octopus,Octopusvulgaris3Mollusca: Cephalopoda), paralarvae. Zoeae of three crab species were externally digested, leaving a whole andempty exoskeleton. The attack sequence on these prey is also described, and divided into the same three phases 3attention,positioning and seizure) already known forSepiahatchlings