DOCSLIB.ORG

Vermetid Gastropods Mediate Within-Colony Variation in Coral

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Vermetid Gastropods Mediate Within-Colony Variation in Coral Mar Biol (2015) 162:1523–1530 DOI 10.1007/s00227-015-2688-7 ORIGINAL PAPER Vermetid gastropods mediate within-colony variation in coral growth to reduce rugosity Jeffrey S. Shima1 · Daniel McNaughtan1 · Amanda T. Strong1,2 Received: 17 April 2015 / Accepted: 19 June 2015 / Published online: 7 July 2015 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015 Abstract Intraspecific variation in coral colony growth colony morphology. Given that structural complexity of forms is common and often attributed to phenotypic plas- coral colonies is an important determinant of “habitat qual- ticity. The ability of other organisms to induce variation in ity” for many other species (fishes and invertebrates), these coral colony growth forms has received less attention, but results suggest that the vermetid gastropod, C. maximum has implications for both taxonomy and the fates of corals (with a widespread distribution and reported increases in and associated species (e.g. fishes and invertebrates). Varia- density in some portions of its range), may have important tion in growth forms and photochemical efficiency of mas- indirect effects on many coral-associated organisms. sive Porites spp. in lagoons of Moorea, French Polynesia (17.48°S, 149.85°W), were quantified in 2012. The pres- ence of a vermetid gastropod (Ceraesignum maximum) was Introduction correlated with (1) reduced rugosity of coral colonies and (2) reduced photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) on terminal Reef-building corals exhibit a diversity of growth forms “hummocks” (coral tissue in contact with vermetid mucus that vary markedly among and within species (Chappell nets) relative to adjacent “interstitial” locations (tissue not 1980; Veron 2000; Todd 2008). Particular growth forms in contact vermetid mucus nets). A manipulative field exper- may be used to classify putative species and can be a iment confirmed that the relative growth rate of coral tissue source of taxonomic confusion (Fukami et al. 2004; Fors- was greater in interstices than hummocks when vermetids man et al. 2009). More importantly, structurally complex were present and similar (but with a trend for faster growth growth forms may be used by coral-dwelling organisms for on hummocks) when vermetids were absent. Collectively, shelter and/or refuges from predators (Rogers 1990; Hol- these results indicate that vermetid gastropods interact (pre- brook and Schmitt 2002; Bergsma 2012). sumably via their mucus nets) with coral colony architecture Intraspecific variation in coral growth forms is often to impair photochemical efficiency, reduce growth rates of attributed to phenotypic plasticity that may be adaptive (i.e. specific portions of a coral tissue, and induce a smoothed enabling long-lived colonies to maximise their fitness under changeable environmental conditions; Bruno and Edmunds 1997; Muko et al. 2000; Todd 2008; Padilla-Gamino et al. Communicated by L Mydlarz. 2012). Morphological variation may result from interactions with other corals (Lang 1973; Connell 1976; Rinkevich and Reviewed by undisclosed experts. Loya 1985), putative disease agents (Aeby et al. 2011; Stim- * Jeffrey S. Shima son 2011), or other coral-associated organisms (e.g. Abel- [email protected] son et al. 1991; Wielgus et al. 2002; Bergsma 2009), though the latter has received comparatively little attention (perhaps 1 School of Biological Sciences, and the Coastal Ecology Lab, University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Victoria, New because it is perceived as rare or anomalous). Zealand Previous experiments (Colgan 1985; Shima et al. 2010, 2 Present Address: Environmental Protection Authority, Level 2013) indicate that the vermetid gastropod, Ceraesignum 10, 215 Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand maximum (formerly Dendropoma maximum; see Golding 1 3 1524 Mar Biol (2015) 162:1523–1530 Fig. 1 a Vermetid gastropod, Ceraesignum maximum (formerly listed are commonly associated with the presence of vermetids on Moorea. in the genus Dendropoma), with a mucus net draped over a portion c Experimental unit (concrete block affixed to reef) used to evaluate of a colony of massive Porites spp. Mucus nets used by vermetids the effects of vermetids on growth of massive Porites on hummocks for capture of food particles often come into direct contact with (small coral attached to top of block) or in interstitial positions (small polyps on hummocks of massive Porites colonies but not with pol- coral recessed within central portion of block). Vermetids embedded yps in interstitial spaces. The portion of the Porites colony in back- in rubble (treatment) or pieces of rubble without vermetids (control) ground lacks vermetids and is noticeably more rugose. b Locally were attached to periphery of block with cable ties flattened appearance of hummocks on massive Porites colonies that et al. 2014 for recent taxonomic revision), reduces the degree of variation in tissue colour between hummocks and growth and survival of several species of corals and may interstices, or locally flattened growth forms. have the ability to dramatically alter coral growth forms These observations led us to hypothesise that the ver- (Colgan 1985; Zvuloni et al. 2008; Shima et al. 2010). metid gastropod, C. maximum, alters the growth form C. maximum produces pelagic larvae (Phillips and Shima of massive Porites spp. when its mucus nets come into 2010) that settle and permanently attach to bare substrate direct contact with exposed portions of the colony (i.e. (Phillips et al. 2014). Settled individuals grow by adding on hummocks). In the absence of vermetids, we predicted to uncoiled tubular shells and often become encased in a that coral tissue in a hummock position would grow faster matrix of live and dead coral. They capture food using a than coral tissue in interstices (because hummocks might mucus net (Fig. 1a), which is secreted and retracted at be exposed to increased light and/or water flow; e.g. intervals (Kappner et al. 2000). The mucus nets of ver- Dustan 1975) to yield colonies that become increasingly metids often come into direct contact with the terminal structurally complex with age. Conversely, we predicted branches or “hummocks” of corals including colonies of that the presence of vermetids might reverse this pat- massive Porites spp. that are prevalent within the lagoons tern of differential growth between coral tissue in hum- of Moorea, French Polynesia (Fig. 1a, b; a species com- mocks and interstitial positions (i.e. coral growth slows plex determined by Edmunds (2009) to be a mix of P. or ceases on hummocks where it is affected by vermetid lobata and P. lutea, though phylogenetic analysis by Fors- mucus nets, but continues within the interstices until the man et al. (2009) indicates taxonomic uncertainty within gaps fill in) to yield colonies that become increasingly this group; hence, we refer to the complex collectively as locally flattened with age. To test this hypothesis, we “massive Porites spp.”). Our preliminary observations sug- first quantified patterns and sources of spatial variation gest that tissue of massive Porites spp. (on both P. lutea- in the height of hummocks (to formally test our prelimi- like colonies and P. lobata-like colonies) that is in direct nary observations that hummock height appears greater contact with vermetid mucus nets (e.g. on hummocks) on colonies without vermetids). In addition, we char- appears lighter in colour, with a distinct corallite/coenos- acterised aspects of the photobiology of coral tissue on teum structure (Fig. 1a) relative to tissue of the same col- hummocks or interstitial positions for colonies of mas- ony that is not in direct contact with vermetid mucus nets sive Porites spp. that naturally had or lacked vermetids (i.e. recessed in the interstices between hummocks). In (to evaluate patterns and sources of variation in photo- addition, hummocks on massive Porites spp. colonies with physiological performance). Finally, we conducted a field vermetids often appear locally flattened (Fig. 1b; see also experiment to simulate hummocks and interstitial sites Shima et al. 2010). In contrast, massive Porites spp. colo- and quantified the growth rates of small coral colonies nies (both P. lutea-like colonies and P. lobata-like colo- deployed to these positions in the presence and absence nies) without vermetid populations do not show the same of transplanted vermetids. 1 3 Mar Biol (2015) 162:1523–1530 1525 Methods Experimental study Observational study We constructed a field experiment to quantify the effects of vermetids on growth of massive Porites spp. corals that Structural morphology were located in simulated hummock or interstitial posi- tions. We collected 44 small colonies ( 5 cm diameter) of ≤ We measured the heights of hummocks relative to adja- massive Porites spp from a site in the lagoon (2–3 m water cent interstices on massive Porites spp. colonies with depth) near to where we quantified structural morphol- and without the vermetid gastropod C. maximum. Spe- ogy and photochemical efficiency. We transported corals cifically, we quantified the heights of 3 randomly selected to the flow-through sea water facility at the UC Berkeley hummocks on each of 10 randomly selected colonies Gump Research Station, attached each coral to a small (~1–2 m diameter) of each type ( vermetids), sampled (~8 8 cm) plastic base using A-788 splash zone epoxy ± × from a site in Vaipahu Lagoon, Moorea, French Polyne- (Z-spar), and estimated the initial skeletal mass of each sia (17.48067°S, 149.84698°W). Hummock height was focal
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Version of the Manuscript
    Accepted Manuscript Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Nacella limpets reveal novel evolutionary charac- teristics of mitochondrial genomes in Patellogastropoda Juan D. Gaitán-Espitia, Claudio A. González-Wevar, Elie Poulin, Leyla Cardenas PII: S1055-7903(17)30583-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.036 Reference: YMPEV 6324 To appear in: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Received Date: 15 August 2017 Revised Date: 23 July 2018 Accepted Date: 30 October 2018 Please cite this article as: Gaitán-Espitia, J.D., González-Wevar, C.A., Poulin, E., Cardenas, L., Antarctic and sub- Antarctic Nacella limpets reveal novel evolutionary characteristics of mitochondrial genomes in Patellogastropoda, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2018), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.036 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Version: 23-07-2018 SHORT COMMUNICATION Running head: mitogenomes Nacella limpets Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Nacella limpets reveal novel evolutionary characteristics of mitochondrial genomes in Patellogastropoda Juan D. Gaitán-Espitia1,2,3*; Claudio A. González-Wevar4,5; Elie Poulin5 & Leyla Cardenas3 1 The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China 2 CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, GPO Box 1538, Hobart 7001, TAS, Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Characterization of the Freshwater Snail Physella Acuta. Journey R
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Biology ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-1-2013 Molecular characterization of the freshwater snail Physella acuta. Journey R. Nolan Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds Recommended Citation Nolan, Journey R.. "Molecular characterization of the freshwater snail Physella acuta.." (2013). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ biol_etds/87 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Journey R. Nolan Candidate Biology Department This thesis is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Thesis Committee: Dr. Coenraad M. Adema , Chairperson Dr. Stephen Stricker Dr. Cristina Takacs-Vesbach i Molecular characterization of the freshwater snail Physella acuta. by JOURNEY R. NOLAN B.S., BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, 2009 M.S., BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, 2013 THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science Biology The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico DECEMBER 2013 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Sam Loker and Dr. Bruce Hofkin for undergraduate lectures at UNM that peaked my interest in invertebrate biology. I would also like to thank Dr. Coen Adema for recommending a work-study position in his lab in 2009, studying parasitology, and for his continuing mentoring efforts to this day. The position was influential in my application to UNM PREP within the Department of Biology and would like to thank the mentors Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Epifaunal Invertebrate Assemblages Associated with Branching Pocilloporids in Moorea, French Polynesia
    Epifaunal invertebrate assemblages associated with branching Pocilloporids in Moorea, French Polynesia Chiara Pisapia1,2, Jessica Stella3, Nyssa J. Silbiger2 and Robert Carpenter2 1 Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong 2 Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA 3 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, QLD, Australia ABSTRACT Reef-building corals can harbour high abundances of diverse invertebrate epifauna. Coral characteristics and environmental conditions are important drivers of community structure of coral-associated invertebrates; however, our current understanding of drivers of epifaunal distributions is still unclear. This study tests the relative importance of the physical environment (current flow speed) and host quality (e.g., colony height, surface area, distance between branches, penetration depth among branches, and background partial mortality) in structuring epifaunal communities living within branching Pocillopora colonies on a back reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. A total of 470 individuals belonging to four phyla, 16 families and 39 genera were extracted from 36 Pocillopora spp. colonies. Decapods were the most abundant epifaunal organisms (accounting for 84% of individuals) found living in Pocillopora spp. While coral host characteristics and flow regime are very important, these parameters were not correlated with epifaunal assemblages at the time of the study. Epifaunal assemblages associated with Pocillopora spp. were consistent and minimally affected by differences in host characteristics and flow regime. The consistency in abundance and taxon richness among colonies (regardless Submitted 20 January 2020 of habitat characteristics) highlighted the importance of total habitat availability.
    [Show full text]
  • SURVEY of the LITERATURE on RECENT SHELLS from the RED SEA (Second Enlarged and Revised Edition)
    TRITON 24 SEPTEMBER 2011 SUPPLEMENT 1 SURVEY OF THE LITERATURE ON RECENT SHELLS FROM THE RED SEA (second enlarged and revised edition) L.J. van Gemert *) Abstract: About 2,100 references are listed in the survey. Shells are being considered here as shell-bearing mollusks of the Gastropoda, Bivalvia and Scaphopoda. And the region covered is not only the Red Sea, but also the Gulf of Aden, including Somalia, and the Suez Canal, including Lessepsian species. Literature on fossils finds, especially from the Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene, is listed too. Introduction My interest in recent shells from the Red Sea dates from about 1996. Since then, I have been, now and then, trying to obtain information on this subject. Recently I decide to stop gathering information in a haphazard way and to do it more properly. This resulted in a survey of approximately 1,420 references (Van Gemert, 2010). Since then, this survey has been enlarged considerably and contains now approximately 2,100 references. They are presented here. Scope In principle every publication in which mollusks are reported to live or have lived in the Red Sea should be listed in the survey. This means that besides primary literature, i.e. articles in which researchers are reporting their finds for the first time, secondary and tertiary literature, i.e. reviews, monographs, books, etc are to be included too. These publications were written not only by a wide range of authors ranging from amateur shell collectors to profesional malacologists but also by people interested in other fields. This implies that not only malacological journals and books should be considered, but also publications from other fields or disciplines, such as environmental pollution, toxicology, parasitology, aquaculture, fisheries, biochemistry, biogeography, geology, sedimentology, ecology, archaeology, Egyptology and palaeontology, in which Red Sea shells are mentioned.
    [Show full text]
  • The Vermetidae of the Gulf of Kachchh, Western Coast of India (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys 555:The 1–10 Vermetidae (2016) of the Gulf of Kachchh, western coast of India( Mollusca, Gastropoda) 1 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.555.5948 RESEARCH ARTICLE http://zookeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research The Vermetidae of the Gulf of Kachchh, western coast of India (Mollusca, Gastropoda) Devanshi MukundRay Joshi1, Pradeep C. Mankodi2 1 Senior Research Fellow, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Indroda Nature Park, Gandhinagar – 382007, Gujarat, India 2 Head, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Maharaja SayajiRao University of Baroda, Vadodara – 390002, Gujarat, India Corresponding author: Pradeep C. Mankodi ([email protected]) Academic editor: N. Yonow | Received 11 September 2015 | Accepted 5 December 2015 | Published 20 January 2016 http://zoobank.org/9306353C-7BC4-47DF-BD42-F484EA27A506 Citation: Joshi DM, Mankodi PC (2016) The Vermetidae of the Gulf of Kachchh, western coast of India (Mollusca, Gastropoda). ZooKeys 555: 1–10. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.555.5948 Abstract Coral reefs are often termed underwater wonderlands due to the presence of an incredible biodiversity including numerous invertebrates and vertebrates. Among the dense population of benthic and bottom- dwelling inhabitants of the reef, many significant species remain hidden or neglected by researchers. One such example is the vermetids, a unique group of marine gastropods. The present study attempts for the first time to assess the density and identify preferred reef substrates in the Gulf of Kachchh, state of Guja- rat, on the western coast of India. A total of three species of the family Vermetidae were recorded during the study and their substrate preferences identified.
    [Show full text]
  • Honors Thesis
    Chemical Effects of Vermetid Snails on Coral Microflora By Noah Hackney: [email protected] Department of Microbiology and Cell Science Thesis advisor: Tom Frazer CALS Honors Program Noah Hackney Chemical Effects of Vermetid Snails on Coral Microflora Noah Hackney Abstract Coral reefs benefit many different marine organisms and coastal populations by providing habitats, shelter, and sustenance. Corals, however, are threatened by a variety of stressors (including vermetid snails) that reduce growth and survivorship. Ceraesignum maximum is a common vermetid on the shallow reefs of Mo’orea, French Polynesia that casts a mucus net used for feeding. This net leads to reductions in growth and survival of corals. The mechanism underlying the deleterious effects of the mucus net, however, is not entirely clear. We hypothesized that vermetids negatively affect coral colonies by altering Surface Mucus Layer (SML) microbial communities (the corals’ first line of defense) via selective inhibition by chemicals in the snail’s mucus nets. We isolated nine unique cellular morphologies primarily comprised of Firmicutes, Bacteriodetes, and Proteobacteria, and assessed antibacterial activity of each group using crude chemical extracts from vermetid mucus nets. Our data showed that chemicals in the mucus net did not inhibit growth of the isolated microbes, which suggests chemicals from Ceraesignum maximum do not have an inhibitive effect on isolated massive Porites microflora. Introduction Coral reefs are among the most productive and bio-diverse ecosystems in the world and are estimated to support 25% of all marine life (Spalding, 2001). Coral reefs provide a broad suite of ecosystem and other services including, for example, protection of shorelines from storm generated waves, production of fisheries related resources, and tourism related revenues.
    [Show full text]
  • Collin, Page 1 of 40 Transitions in Sexual and Reproductive
    Transitions in Sexual and Reproductive Strategies Among the Caenogastropoda Rachel Collin Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa Ancon, Panama. Address for correspondence: STRI, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002, USA. +507-212- 8766. e-mail: [email protected] Key words: Protandry, Simultaneous Hermaphroditism, Sexual Size Dimorphism, Mate Choice, Prosobranch, Brooding, Aphally, Egg Guarding. Collin, Page 1 of 40 Abstract Caenogastropods, members of the largest clade of shelled snails including most familiar marine taxa, are abundant and diverse and yet surprisingly little is known about their reproduction. In many families, even the basic anatomy has been described for fewer than a handful of species. The literature implies that the general sexual anatomy and sexual behavior do not vary much within a family but for many families this hypothesis remains un-tested. Available data suggest that aphally, sexual dimorphism, maternal care, and different systems of sex determination have all evolved multiple times in parallel in caenogastropods. Most evolutionary transitions in these features have occurred in non-neogastropods (the taxa formerly included in the mesogastropoda). Multiple origins of these features provide the ideal system for comparative analyses of the required preconditions for and correlates of evolutionary transitions in sexual strategies. Detailed study of representatives from the numerous families for which scant information is available, and more completely resolved phylogenies are necessary to significantly improve our understanding of the evolution of sexual systems in the Caenogastropoda. In addition to basic data on sexual anatomy, behavioral observations are lacking for many groups. What data are available indicate that mate choice and sexual selection are complicated in gastropods and that the costs of reproduction may not be negligible.
    [Show full text]
  • The Vermetidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Hawaiian Islands*
    Marine Biology t2, 8t--98 (1972) by Springer-Verll~g 1972 The Vermetidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Hawaiian Islands* M. G, HADt'IELD 1, E. A. KAY2, M. U. GILLETTE3 and M. C. LLOYD4 1 Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA and Departmen~ of GeneraI Science, University of Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA and a Department of Zoology, Scarborough College, University of Toronto; Westhilt, Ontario, Canada and 4 Department of Zoology, University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Abstract Species descriptions The Hawaiian vermetid fauna comprises 8 species, 7 of Genus Dendropoma ?r 1861 which are here described as new. The generic distribution in- eludes 5 species of Dendropoma and I each of Petaloconchus, Dendropoma gregaria HADFIELD and KAY, nov. sp. Vermetus and Serpulorbis. The species descriptions rely little (Figs. t--2, 19A) on conchology, stressing instead descriptions of animals, Type mc~terial, holotype, BPBM (No. 8929; part of habitats and reproductive and developmental characteristics. Feeding is accomplished in all species by a combination of a large colony). Paratypes: BPBM, USNM. Type mucous nets and detrital collection by ctenidial cilia. Only locality: Kaheka (near Koloa) Kauai, Hawaii (t59 ~ in the single species of Vermetus, an inhabitant of quiet waters, 28'30"W Longitude, 2i~ Latitude) forming does ciliary feeding predominate. Four small species of Dendro- a dense mat on the intertidal boulders. poma inhabit shallow, coralline algal-encrusted, wave-washed reef areas, while Serpulorbis and Dendropoma platypus are Shell (Fig. 1). Small (maximum apertural diameter found not only in intertidal areas subjected to heavy surf, 3 ram); tubes forming compact, continuous mats.
    [Show full text]
  • Mucus-Net Feeding by the Vermetid Gastropod Dendropoma Maxima in Coral Reefs
    MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 204: 309–313, 2000 Published October 5 Mar Ecol Prog Ser NOTE Mucus-net feeding by the vermetid gastropod Dendropoma maxima in coral reefs Isabella Kappner1,*, Salim M. Al-Moghrabi2, Claudio Richter1 1Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie, Fahrenheitstr. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany 2 University of Jordan, Marine Science Station, PO Box 195, Aqaba, Jordan ABSTRACT: Dendropoma maxima (Vermetidae, Mollusca) is nificantly to reef rock accretion on the outer reef-flat the largest member of a conspicuous group of sessile gas- (Safriel 1966, 1975, Shier 1969). tropods living in shallow tropical and temperate reefs. In the Juvenile vermetids are mobile and carry coiled northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, individuals of D. maxima live in tubes embedded in the carbonate framework shells (Thiele 1963, Keen 1971). After settling, the shell of the reef flat at densities of 11.1 ± 6.3 m–2. They secrete becomes attached to the reef and elongates without mucus nets extending ~10 cm around the individuals. The further coiling. The resulting linear growth of the shell sticky nets billow under the turbulent action of impinging is rather fast and enables the vermetid to escape over- waves and indiscriminately trap suspended particles. The growth by corals and to maintain access to food (Smal- nets are withdrawn at regular intervals and consumed. Net retraction frequency (NRF), as determined by time-lapse ley 1984). video in the laboratory and in the field, appears to be related Vermetids have evolved a distinctive feeding strat- to particle availability with significant differences between egy: the scavenging of food particles by a mucus net.
    [Show full text]
  • Mucus-Net Feeding on Organic Particles by the Vermetid Gastropod Dendropoma Maximum in and Below the Surf Zone
    MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 293: 77–87, 2005 Published June 2 Mar Ecol Prog Ser Mucus-net feeding on organic particles by the vermetid gastropod Dendropoma maximum in and below the surf zone Gal Ribak1, 2, 3,*, Joseph Heller2, Amatzia Genin1, 2 1The Inter-University Institute for Marine Science, PO Box 469, 88103 Eilat, Israel 2Department of Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel 3Present address: Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel ABSTRACT: Dendropoma maximum is a sessile marine gastropod that inhabits reef flats along a dis- tinct, shallow, sub-tidal zone and uses mucus nets for passive suspension feeding. We tested the hypothesis that surface waves improve food capture by animals inhabiting the surf zone. D. maxi- mum feeds mainly on suspended detrital particles that are highly abundant in its habitat. Its feeding strategy depends on ambient currents, not only for the transport of suspended particles to the filter- ing apparatus but also for the spreading of the mucus net and for determining its shape and size. Using an in situ experiment, we observed a 1.7-fold decrease in prey capture rates among animals transplanted from the surf zone to 5 m depth, where most of the flow was unidirectional. Part of the reduction in feeding rate could be attributed to a lower concentration of detrital particles at the deeper habitat. However, laboratory experiments in a recirculating flume showed that the mucus net produced by the animals under oscillatory flow was larger than under unidirectional flow.
    [Show full text]
  • Epifaunal Invertebrate Assemblages Associated with Branching Pocilloporids in Moorea, French Polynesia
    Epifaunal invertebrate assemblages associated with branching Pocilloporids in Moorea, French Polynesia Chiara Pisapia1,2, Jessica Stella3, Nyssa J. Silbiger2 and Robert Carpenter2 1 Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong 2 Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA 3 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, QLD, Australia ABSTRACT Reef-building corals can harbour high abundances of diverse invertebrate epifauna. Coral characteristics and environmental conditions are important drivers of community structure of coral-associated invertebrates; however, our current understanding of drivers of epifaunal distributions is still unclear. This study tests the relative importance of the physical environment (current flow speed) and host quality (e.g., colony height, surface area, distance between branches, penetration depth among branches, and background partial mortality) in structuring epifaunal communities living within branching Pocillopora colonies on a back reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. A total of 470 individuals belonging to four phyla, 16 families and 39 genera were extracted from 36 Pocillopora spp. colonies. Decapods were the most abundant epifaunal organisms (accounting for 84% of individuals) found living in Pocillopora spp. While coral host characteristics and flow regime are very important, these parameters were not correlated with epifaunal assemblages at the time of the study. Epifaunal assemblages associated with Pocillopora spp. were consistent and minimally affected by differences in host characteristics and flow regime. The consistency in abundance and taxon richness among colonies (regardless Submitted 20 January 2020 of habitat characteristics) highlighted the importance of total habitat availability.
    [Show full text]
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series 353:131
    Vol. 353: 131–135, 2008 MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published January 17 doi: 10.3354/meps07204 Mar Ecol Prog Ser Behavioural response to interference competition in a sessile suspension feeder Antonius Gagern*, Timo Schürg, Nico K. Michiels, Gregor Schulte, Dennis Sprenger, Nils Anthes Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Zoological Institute, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany ABSTRACT: The sessile suspension-feeding worm-snail Dendropoma maxima Sowerby, 1825 (Ver- metidae) secretes a mucous web to capture planktonic prey. In dense groups, the feeding webs of neighbouring snails frequently overlap and stick together. This may create direct food competition between neighbours because the earlier retracting snail may get more than its fair share of the prey. While field observations indicate that web overlap may generate retarded growth, we experimentally studied whether web overlap also triggers a phenotypic response in feeding behaviour. In our exper- iment we consecutively placed focal snails in a place by themselves (solitary) or close to a neighbour- ing snail such that webs overlapped, starting with either of the 2 conditions in half of the experimen- tal individuals to exclude sequence effects. We found that focals retracted their feeding web significantly earlier when close to a neighbour than when solitary. Our experiments thus confirm a phenotypic response through early web retraction in D. maxima, indicating that direct interference competition affects worm-snail behaviour. KEY WORDS: Phenotypic plasticity · Food competition · Suspension feeding · Prisoner’s Dilemma Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher INTRODUCTION dae), a passive suspension feeder (Jørgensen 1966, LaBarbera 1984). Living in a permanent calcareous Marine plankton feeders share access to a common tube, these worm-snails secrete a sticky mucus web food resource that may seem inexhaustible at first sight.
    [Show full text]