Food utilization of shell-attached algae contributes to the growth of host mud snail, Bellamya chinensis: Evidence from fatty acid biomarkers and carbon stable isotope analysis

Dense algal growth on shells of the freshwater mud snail species, Bellamya chinensis , is commonly found. In rice paddy fields of Northeastern Japan, fatty acid biomarkers and carbon stable isotope composition were analyzed to test whether B. chinensis grazes on shell-attached algae. The carbon stable isotope ratio of B. chinensis was positively related to that of shell-attached algae. B. chinensis also assimilated substantial amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, which were abundant in shell-attached algae. Furthermore, the effect of assimilating shell-attached algae on B. chinensis growth was examined in a field experiment. Individuals feeding on shell-attached algae exhibited faster shell growth than those with no access to shell-attached algae of other individuals. Our results demonstrate that B. chinensis growth is enhanced by algal fouling on their own shells, which provides them with a nutritious food source, although very few studies have documented benefits conferred to an organism that hosts an epibiotic species.