Chaetognaths feed primarily on dissolved and fine particulate organic matter, not on prey: implications for marine food webs

Chaetognaths are considered to be the dominant predators of small zooplankton and fish larvae. Therefore, it is thought that they play an influential role in marine pelagic food webs, transferring most of the zooplanktonic biomass to higher trophic levels. To date, their head armature (teeth and grasping hooks) and the results of laboratory feeding experiments have supported this view. However, analyses of gut contents and other aspects of their...