Mollusca: Cassidae), a Heavily Exploited Marine Gastropod?
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SHORT REVIEW Ethnobiology and Conservation 2017, 6:16 (27 August 2017) doi:10.15451/ec2017086.16113 ISSN 22384782 ethnobioconservation.com What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Thelma Lúcia Pereira Dias1*, Ellori Laíse Silva Mota1,2, Rafaela Cristina de Souza Duarte1,2 and Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves1 ABSTRACT Cassis tuberosa is a key species in reefs and sandy beaches, where it plays an essential role as a predator of sea urchins and sand dollars. Due to the beauty of its shell, it is one of the most exploited species for trade as marine souvenirs throughout its distribution in the Western Atlantic. Despite its ecological importance, there is little available information about population and biological data or the impacts of its removal from its natural habitats. Considering the economic and ecological importance of this species, this study provides a short review of existing studies and highlights research and conservation needs for this highly exploited marine gastropod. Keywords: Brazil; Predatory Gastropod; Marine Curio Trade; Species Conservation; Shell Trade 1 Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, Campina Grande, PB, 58429500, Brazil 2 Programa de PósGraduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, 58059970, Brazil * Email address: DIAS, T.L.P. ([email protected]), MOTA, E.L.S. ([email protected]), DUARTE, R.C.S. ([email protected]), ALVES, R.R.N. ([email protected]) INTRODUCTION species has a heavy and large shell, reaching up to 30 cm in total length (Ardila et The king helmet Cassis tuberosa al. 2002), and occurs from 1 to 10 m deep (Linnaeus 1758) (Figure 1) is a large marine (Rios 2009). Due to the beauty of its shell in gastropod mollusk belonging to the family all growth stages (Figure 1), C. tuberosa has Cassidae and is distributed from North been the target of fishing for decades for Carolina to Brazil (Rios 2009), including the ornamental purposes and to supply trade in Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Cape Verde souvenirs and marine curiosities (Dias et al. Islands, Western Africa (Tewfik and Scheuer 2011). 2013). In Brazil, it is found from Pará to Although it is a large species, is broadly Espírito Santo states (Rios 2009). The distributed along the eastern Atlantic coast 1 Dias et al. 2017. What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Ethnobio Conserv 6:16 and is economically relevant, Cassis This short review presents the main tuberosa biology and ecology is poorly information available in the literature known. Little is known about its published in scientific journals, books and representativeness in the ornamental shell book chapters that address this species. The trade, and this is one of the probable literature used was searched in Google reasons for the population decline that has Scholar and on journal websites. Some full been reported for this species in Brazil and papers published in the Proceedings of the Caribbean (Dias et al. 2011; Tewfik Scientific Events were also included. 2015). Figure 1. Cassis tuberosa growth series illustrating shell characteristics from the young phase to the adult phase (Photos: Thelma Dias). 2 Dias et al. 2017. What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Ethnobio Conserv 6:16 Shell morphology, habitat and operculum is elongated, with rounded ends ecology and is light brown in color (Figure 2c). In the soft part, the ample ventral Cassis tuberosa has one of the most muscular foot constitutes a great part of the admired shells by collectors in the Western visceral mass (Figure 2d). Although the Atlantic (Figure 2a–b). As described by siphonal canal is short, the siphon of large Matthews and Coelho (1972), the form of the caliber can extend to reach the dorsal side of shell is subtriangular, with a low spire and it the shell, as reported by Hughes and is cream in general coloration with dark Hughes (1971). According to these authors, brown spots. The dorsal surface is the taenioglossate radula of Cassis tuberosa ornamented by fine growth lines cut by fine is reinforced with seven strong teeth per row, spiral lines, producing a canceled effect. The with a central spinal tooth and heavily spit opening is narrow and long, with an outer lip lateral teeth. Details of the morphology of the containing strong dark teeth. The margin of digestive tract are shown by Hughes and the columella has strong crimps that extend Hughes (1981). through the opening. The small corneal Figure 2. (A) Adult individual emerges on a sandy beach during low tide and (B) Young moving on sandy bottom at Macau, state of Rio Grande do Norte, NE Brazil. (C) View of the back of Cassis tuberosa with detail on the reduced operculum (yellow arrow) and (D) Adult with wide distended foot at Cabo Branco reefs, João Pessoa, state of Paraíba, NE Brazil (Photos: Thelma Dias). 3 Dias et al. 2017. What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Ethnobio Conserv 6:16 Cassis tuberosa is considered a solitary et al. (2013) recorded a density ranging from species (Moore 1956) but may be observed 0.3 to 0.8 individuals/ha. A low density of this in larger numbers, such as while searching predator was also reported by Engstrom for prey (Matthews and Coelho 1972; Tewfik (1982), who mentioned one individual/660 2015). It inhabits shallow coastal waters m2 (=15 individuals/ha) in Pitahaya and one occurring in sandy beaches and reef individual/14,000 m2 (=0.7 individuals/ha) in environments, where it lives associated with Guayacan, both in Puerto Rico. Other seagrass beds, macroalgae banks, rhodolith studies that mention the abundance of C. beds and coral rubble (Schroeder 1962; tuberosa report a low number of individuals NietoBernal et al. 2013; Tewfik and Scheuer (e.g. Hughes and Hughes 1971; McClintock 2013; Tewfik 2015; Dias and Mota 2015; and Marion 1993; Levitan and Genovese Grun and Nebelsick 2017). Figure 3a–e 1989; Grun and Nebelsick 2017). illustrates C. tuberosa using different habitat Young individuals of Cassis tuberosa are types. rarely reported in the literature (e.g. The king helmet is known as a nocturnal Pequeno and MatthewsCascon 2001; predator that remains buried in 2011). On the other hand, recently Dias and unconsolidated substrates during the day. Mota (2015) first recorded an adult of this According to Grun and Nebelsick (2017), species depositing their spawn in the Cassis tuberosa is mainly semiepifaunal Tamandaré reefs (State of Pernambuco), and rests semiburied, leaving an exposed located in a marine protected area in the portion of the shell, which is encrusted by northeast of Brazil. The spawn was released macroalgae, other smaller gastropod on a border of macroalga of the genus molluscs and crustaceans. On the other Padina at 2 m depth during the day. hand, some studies report the feeding According to Dias and Mota (2015), the activity of C. tuberosa in the diurnal period oothecae was arranged in a single layer (e.g. McClintock and Marion 1993; Levitan consisting of a mass of eggs with and Genovese 1989), which, according to approximately 200 vasiform capsules that Grun and Nebelsick (2017), would classify were orange in color (Figure 3f). According this species as metaturnal, feeding during to these authors, the spawn of C. tuberosa the day and at night. resembles that of other Cassidae, especially Several decades ago, the king helmet that of its congener, C. madagascariensis. was once considered one of the most Dias and Mota (2015) also reinforced the abundant gastropod species in Northeastern importance of macroalgae banks as a Brazil (Matthews and Coelho 1972) and spawning substrate and suggest that common in the West Indies (Schroeder measures of protection of this species 1962). Currently, the few studies that should include this type of habitat to mention the abundance of this species have maintain wild populations of C. tuberosa. revealed a low number of individuals. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, the density of Diet and predatory behavior Cassis tuberosa associated with dense seagrass beds (Thalassia testudinum) One of the bestknown aspects about ranged from 2.6 to 15.8 individuals/ha Cassis tuberosa is its diet and feeding (Tewfik and Scheuer 2013; Tewfik 2015), behavior. It is a carnivorous predator that while in La Guajira (Colombia), NietoBernal feeds exclusively on echinoid echinoderms 4 Dias et al. 2017. What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Ethnobio Conserv 6:16 (Figure 4). There are at least 14 species of Pequeno and MatthewsCascon 2010; prey consumed by C. tuberosa in the Tewfik and Scheuer 2013), but the most laboratory and in the wild (e.g. Foster 1947; frequently cited are the sea urchins Diadema Moore 1956; Snyder and Snyder 1970; antillarum, Echinometra lucunter, Lytechinus Figure 3. Adult Cassis tuberosa on different substrates and behaviors. (A) Resting on sandy beach at Macau, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. (B) Partially buried in sandy bottom, (C) Resting on sandy and gravel bottom near macroalgae, (D) Moving on rocks in a reef environment, (E) Moving on seagrasses in a reef environment, and (F) Spawning (yellow arrow) on macroalgae of the genus Padina at Tamandaré reefs, state of Pernambuco, Brazil (Photos: Thelma Dias). 5 Dias et al. 2017. What do we know about Cassis tuberosa (Mollusca: Cassidae), a heavily exploited marine gastropod? Ethnobio Conserv 6:16 variegatus and Tripneustes ventricosus forward while moving at a speed of 0.3 cm/s.