Mucophagy
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Mucophagy is feeding on mucus of fishes or invertebrates. It may also refer to consumption of mucus or dried mucus in primates, which serves no nutritional function.
There are mucophagous parasites, such as some sea lice that attach themselves to gill segments of fish. [1]
Mucophages may serve as cleaners of other animals.
Another usage of this term is in reference to the feeding organ rich in mucuos cells which pumps the water through, feeding paricles get entrapped in mucus, and the latter proceeds into the esophagus. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Pathogenesis of Wild and Farmed Seafish
- ^ The epibranchial organ, its innervation and its probable functioning in Heterotis niloticus (Pisces, teleostei, osteoglossidae)
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