The effect of a prey's food resources on predator-induced morphological transformation was studied in two ciliate species : Euplotes octocarinatus (prey) and Stylonychia mytilus (predator) . The ability to produce defence in Euplotes was much reduced by prolonged starvation . The extent of prey morphological transformation and therefore the effectiveness of the defence was inversely related to the length of time without food . The results suggest that the defence involves an energetic cost which may be a significant part of the whole cell budget, at least when food is in short supply . Not only the morphological transformation but also the maintenance of the anti-predator phenotype were energetically costly for Euplotes, the cost being proportional to the defence level . The morphological transformation was affected by the kind of food (algae) provided to the prey . Ciliates fed Chlorogonium elongatum attained their maximum width sooner than those fed Chlamydomonas . Thus, both the quantity and the quality of the food available may significantly affect the magnitude of response and therefore the potential success of an induced defence .
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