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Several microphagous grazers co-exist on British rocky shores. The nature of the microbial film which is their prime food source is outlined. The radula morphology, hardness, and feeding mechanisms of rhipidoglossan trochids (Gibbula, Monodonta) taenioglossan Littorina, and docoglossan Patella have been compared. Docoglossans can penetrate hard substrates deeply, taenioglossans can only penetrate softer substrates, and rhipidoglossans appear to primarily brush the surface. A preliminary study found some differences in diet. Whether feeding mechanisms allow partitioning of the microfloral film and whether this allows continuing co-existence of intertidal grazers is discussed.
Hawkins et al. (Sun,) studied this question.