Snail Larvae From Turbulent Inlets and the Wavy Continental Shelf Use Different Physical Behavioral Cues

Dispersing larvae experience hydrodynamic signals from turbulence and waves; these signals vary geographically in their intensity and may cue behaviors enhancing transport to suitable habitats. Turbulence dominates the production of spatial velocity gradients (strain or vorticity), whereas waves often dominate the production of accelerations. Spatial patterns in these two signal types create a potential mechanism for larvae to distinguish or navigate among habitats. We quantified flow-induced behaviors in late-stage larvae of congeneric snails from turbulent coastal inlets (Ilyanassa obsoleta) and from the wavy continental shelf (Ilyanassa trivittata). Larvae were exposed to turbulence and to simpler flows dominated by strain, vorticity, or wave-generated acceleration. Fluid flow and individual larvae were observed simultaneously using infrared, particle-image velocimetry. In turbulence, larvae of both species sank or swam downward more frequently at higher dissipation rates, but the average vertical velocities of I. obsoleta became more negative (downward) than those of I. trivittata.  In simpler flows, larvae of I. obsoleta reacted more strongly to vorticity-induced rotation relative to gravity, whereas only I. trivittata exhibited a strong reaction to wave-generated accelerations. Both species reacted to vorticity or acceleration in the absence of large strain rates, indicating that larvae likely sense flow using the statocysts. Although statocysts can sense two signal types, these closely related species responded differently to those signals, suggesting that behavior is attuned to the physical signals that dominate their respective adult habitats.