Locomotory Patterns of the Planktonic Ciliate Favella sp.: Adaptations for Remaining within Food Patches

Using a video computer system for motion analysis, we documented changes in the kinetic behavior of the tintinnid, Favella sp., in response to changes in food concentration. Favella transiently reduces its swimming speed and increases its turning behavior in response to increases in food density. Similar changes in swimming pattern are observed when chemosensory or mechanosensory stimuli associated with Favella's preferred food, dinoflagellates, are increased. These kinetic responses should contribute to the aggregations of this tintinnid that are observed in micro scale (<1 m) and fine scale (m to 100's of m) patches of dinoflagellates.