Abstract: Pteropods play a pivotal role in energy transfer within marine food webs and biogeochemical cycling. This paper systematically reviews the research progress on the feeding ecology of pteropods, highlighting the specialized mechanisms and adaptive strategies of the dominant group, Euthecosomata, which utilizes large external mucous webs for highly efficient filter feeding. The development and integration of analytical techniques, such as high-throughput sequencing, stable isotope analysis, and fatty acid profiling, have updated the traditional perception of pteropods as strict herbivores, revealing complex dietary characteristics that have expanded into broad omnivory. Building on this, the paper further explores the physiological stress exerted by ocean acidification and warming on the energy metabolism and feeding processes of pteropods. It also analyzes the regulatory effects of mesoscale physical processes on their feeding environments and broader ecological impacts. To address current research limitations, this paper proposes that future studies should deepen the cross-integration of in situ dynamic observations with multi-omics technologies. Furthermore, physiological parameters should be incorporated into large-scale models to accurately assess the ecological response mechanisms of pteropods under extreme climatic conditions and multiple environmental stressors.

Key words: Zooplankton, Feeding, Mucous filter, Food web, Mesoscale processes