ABSTRACT
Ecology is the study of the interaction of organisms with their environment to understand their patterns of distribution and abundance. Molluscan ecology has a rich history and has provided significant contributions in both basic and applied research. Molluscs figure predominantly in the descriptive phase of ecology. Three major groups of arthropods include species that prey upon molluscs – the Chelicerata, Crustacea, and Insecta. Molluscs can occupy any trophic level within a food web except for that of primary producer. Coleoid cephalopods are an important component of marine food webs. They are active predators that feed on shrimps, crabs, fish, other cephalopods, and with octopods, on other molluscs. Molluscs, like all organisms, are constantly surrounded by threats from competitors, predators, parasites, diseases, and the physical environment. Sponges are a food source for various molluscs. The subclass Rhabdocoela contains a few taxa parasitic in molluscs. The order Prostigmata contains four families with members parasitic on either fresh-water or terrestrial molluscs.
