Study of a Population of Calcinus Tubularis (Crustacea, Diogenidae) from a Shallow Posidonia Oceanica Meadow
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Cah. Biol. Mar. (1995) 36 : 277-284 Study of a population of Calcinus tubularis (Crustacea, Diogenidae) from a shallow Posidonia oceanica meadow Mil E. MANJON-CABEZA AND 1. E. GARCIA RASO Dept. Biologia Animal, Fac. Ciencias, Univ. Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain. Abstract: A population of the hennit crab Calcinus tubularis from a shallow Posidonia oceanica meadow in the SE of Spain has been studied. The results show a prevalence of small specimens, an egg-Iaying period extending from May to October (maximum in August), with a resting period during the win ter months. The sex ratio is in favour of females during the spawning period. The first spawns occur in females with a cephalothoracic shield length of 0.7-0.9 mm. The mean number of eggs carried by a female is 30 and their mean size is 0.31 mm. The recruitment to the zone occurs from October to March (mainly in November-January). The relative growth is similar in both sexes, with no change between the juvenile and adult stages. The chelipeds show a slight sexual dimorphism. The ocular peduncles show a remarkably strong negative allometric growth. Résumé: Une population du Paguridé Calcinus tubularis a été étudiée dans un herbier peu profond de Posidonia oceanica du sud-est de l'Espagne. Cette population est dominée par de petits individus. La période de ponte se situe entre mai et octobre (maximum en août) et le recrutement entre octobre et mars. Le sex-ratio est en faveur des femelles pendant la pé riode de ponte et la première ponte se produit chez de jeunes femelles ovigères ayant une longueur du bouclier céphalotho racique de 0,7-0,9 mm. Le nombre moyen d'œufs portés par femelle ovigère est de l'ordre de 30, avec un diamètre moyen de 0,31 mm. La croissance relative des mâles et des femelles est similaire, sans discontinuités entre les phases de dévelop pement juvéI).ile et adulte. Un faible dimorphisme sexuel a été observé pour les chélipèdes. Une allométrie négative de la croissance relative des pédoncules oculaires a été mise en évidence chez cette espèce. Keywords: Calcinus tubularis, Decapoda, biology, relative growth, Mediterranean Sea. Introduction evolution of population structure and dynamic of sorne dominant decapods species from the leaves or rhizomes Infralittoral Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile beds represent an important shelter for many Mediterranean sea strata have been analysed by Ledoyer (1966), Vadon (1981) animaIs and harbour a very complex biological community and Garcia Raso (1990). The last study, carried out in the (Harmelin, 1964; Templado, 1984). Within this community Spanish Mediterranean Sea, analyzed the structure of the the Decapoda are an important group, but they have been community and demonstrated the strong dominance of two studied by only a few authors. The development, annual hermit crabs, Cestopagurus timidus (Roux, 1930) and Calcin us tubularis (Linnaeus, 1767). We have already Reçu le 7 avril 1995 ; received April 7) 995 studied the biology of Cestopagurus tùnidus (Manj6n Accepté le 16 février 1996 ; accepted February 16 1996. Cabeza and Garcia Raso, 1994), so to complete our 278 BIOLOGY OF CALC/NUS TUBULAR/S knowledge of this taxocoenosis we investigated the biology To test whether the relative growth rhythm differ of Calcinus tubularis. significantly between the sexes, the confidence interval of CaLcinus tubularis, belonging to the family Diogenidae,. the regression slopes (P < 0.001) were determined. is a typical mediterranean species (Zariquiey Alvarez, 1968) In the population structure study, the cephalothoracic living on rocky, coralligenous and calcareous bottoms and shield length has been used as a size reference, because the in Posidonia beds (Forest, 1966; Garcia Raso, 1982, 1990) carapace is not sufficiently calcified and so the totallength presenting a clear heterochely (typical in the Diogenidae cannot be used. species), the left cheliped being bigger th an the right. On the Fecundity was estimated from ovigerous females, with other hand, it is the only hermit crab inhabiting Vennetus intact spawn, collected during the maximum spawning tubes (Amouroux, 1974; Ho1thuis, 1977; Zibrowius, 1978). months. Biological studies of hennit crabs are scarce, especially In order to study the population structure the specimens were grouped in size classes, calculated according to the growth studies, probably because it is difficult to measure highest and lowest sizes (Christensen, 1983). the length of their partially and slightly calcified body, and also because their growth is conditioned by the size of Results available shells (Bush, 1930; Blackstone, 1986 a, b; Lancaster, 1988). Thus, in the case of the Spanish A total of 1215 specimens were collected during the Mediterranean species, the previously cited work (Manj6n 11 months of sampling, but only 1075 (the specimens in Cabeza and Garcia Raso, 1994) and an abstract about good condition) were studied. The evolution of the monthly Diogenes pugilator (Roux, 1829) (Guillen Nieto, 1992) are density (total and referring to 1000 g of dry weight of the only papers found. substrate), together with the number of ovigerous females, through the cycle are represented in Table 1. Material and Methods Specimens of the small herrnit crab C. tubuLaris were Table 1. Monthly density of Calcinus tubularis from a sampled in a well-established Posidonia oceanica meadow Posidonia bed off Genoveses beach. growing on a sandy bottom with a few rocks, off Genoveses DW: Posidonia dry weight. beach in the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, Almeria (S.E. N: number of specimens in a sample. Spain). N/1000: number of specimens in 1000 g DW. OF/lOOO: number of ovigerous females in 1000 g DW. Samples were collected directly by SCUBA divers every (The values referring to 1000 g of dry weight of substrate have two months over two years, 1986 and 1987 (the June 87 been rounded off) sample was not collected due to bad sea conditions), at Tableau 1. Abondance mensuelle de Calcin us tubularis d' un depths ranging between 3 and 7 metres. Sampling areas herbier de Posidonies au large de la plage de Genoveses. were always larger th an 900 cm2 and rhizome heights were DW : poids sec de substrat (Posidonies). approximately 20 cm (Garcia Raso, 1990). N : nombre de spécimens dans un échantillon. In the laboratory the Posidonia leaves and rhizomes were N/1000 : nombre de spécimens dans 1000 g de poids sec de substrat (DW). separated and washed over a three-sieve column (smallest OF/I 000: nombre de femelles ovigères dans 1000 g DW. mesh size: 05 mm). This method also retained the (Les valeurs rapportées à 1000 g de poids sec,ont été arrondies) postlarvae or megalopae of C. tubuLaris, which were not included in the study but which provided information about SEX the recruitment period. The leaves and rhizomes were dried DATE DW N N/1000 OF/lOOO at 105° C for 48h, after separating the fauna. For RATIO comparison purposes, the density of specimens for month referred to a sample of 1000 g dry weight. 26/03/86 949.7 104 110 0 3.10 23/05/86 753.0 146 194 1.63 In the relative growth study, the anatomical structures 21/07/86 925.6 43 46 7 0.38 were analysed with a VID V computer program that 17/09/86 1223.8 60 49 5 0.12 processed stereoscopic microscope images taken by video l3/11186 1051.6 51 48 0 3.50 camera, with a measurement error of 0.001 mm. Five 08/01187 1643.6 155 94 0 0.78 dimensions were measured: cephalothoracic shield length 05/02/87 1371.9 83 61 0 3.27 (CL); cephalothoracic shield width (CW); propodus length 10/04/87 l372.7 79 58 0 1.78 of the larger cheliped (QL); propodus width of the larger 25/08/87 953.3 134 141 48 0.18 07/10/87 1013.6 199 196 1 0.87 cheliped (QW) and the length (EL) and wj dth (EW) of the 15/12/87 1204.3 161 l34 0 2.44 ocular peduncle. hl' E. MANJON-CABEZA, J. E. GARCÎA RASa 279 60 26-3-86 60 5-2-87 50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 o o 50 23-5-86 40 60 10-4-87 30 50 20 40 10 30 o 20 10 50 21-7-86 o 40 30 20 60 25-8-87 10 50 40 o +-:-----:::--1-::- 30 60 17-9-86 20 50 10 40 O~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 30 20 10 o ~ ,.-, 60 7-10-87 12345678910111213141516 50 60 13-11-86 40 50 30 40 20 30 10 20 o 10 o 60 8-1-87 60 15-12-87 50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 0 0 Size classes Size classes Figure 1. Size classes frequency histograms (cephalothoracic shield length in mm) of Calcinus tubularis, from a Posidonia bed off Genoveses beach (1986-1987 samples). Size classes: see Material and Methods. Females: black areas, males: white areas, andjuveniles: greyareas. Figure 1. Histogrammes de fréquence des classes de taille (basées sur la longueur du bouclier céphalothoracique en mm) de Calcinus tubularis dans 1 000 g de poids sec de substrat (DW), d' un herbier de Posidonia au large de la plage de Genoveses (échantillons de 1986- 1987). Classes de taille: voir Material and Methods. Femelles, en noir; mâles, en blanc; juvéniles, en gris. 280 BIOLOGY OF CALClNUS TUBULARlS As we were working with a natural population of a to J anuary, about four months after the period of maximum species never studied before, the relationship between size spawning (Table 1). and age was unknown. So, 16 size classes of. In the area studied C.