Escape response

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The presence of a molluscivorous Conus releases a distinctive escape response in all observed species of Strombus and Lambis (Berg 1974). The escape response consists of three modal action patterns (MAP's) which frequently occur in the following sequence: Tentacular Wave, Backward Flip, and Run. The combination of these behaviour patterns, with slight modification, occurs with every presentation of a cone and is characteristic for each species (Berg 1974). The strombids' backward "flip" escape response and "kick" righting response may be effective protection from molluscivorous gastropods, octopuses, and crustaceans, which feed at night orienting to chemical cues (Berg 1975).