Abstract
ABSTRACT Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrigthii are the dominant seagrasses in the Caribbean, being common across shallow shorelines, either as monospecific or as intermixed meadows. Among the macrofauna associated with these beds, crustaceans are considered essential for the whole ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about the associated community of decapod crustaceans in assemblages of T. testudinum and H. wrigthii is still scarce, particularly outside of protected areas. Here we report eight new decapod species for the Paraguaná Peninsula (Falcón State, Venezuela) in association with intermixed seagrass beds: Achelous tumidulus Stimpson, 1871, Alpheus aff. floridanus Kingsley, 1878, Chorinus heros (Herbst, 1790), Clibanarius antillensis (Stimpson, 1859), Clibanarius sclopetarius (Herbst, 1796), Latreutes parvulus (Stimpson, 1866), Panopeus occidentalis Saussure, 1857, and Processa fimbriata Manning & Chace, 1971. These records represent habitat extensions and fill gaps in the geographical distribution of the species along the northern coast of South America. Furthermore, we found that statistical differences in decapod species abundance and composition are likely to be caused by the joint action of coverage and heterogeneity of the beds. Our results indicate that typical Caribbean species were the most influential in the community; nevertheless, the abundance of juvenile Penaeus schmitti Burkenroad, 1936 was notable, since they have rarely been found in these habitats. This finding highlights the role of non-protected areas as nursery habitats for economically important species. Our results show that seagrass meadows in the Paraguaná Peninsula reflect overall good health when compared to other Caribbean zones, representing an important habitat for the maintenance of crustacean populations.
Highlights
Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrigthii are the dominant seagrasses in the Caribbean, being common across shallow shorelines, either as monospecific or as intermixed meadows
Composición y abundancia de crustáceos decápodos en praderas mixtas de hierbas marinas en la península de Paraguaná, Venezuela
The aim of the present study was to determine the decapod species associated with mixed seagrass meadows in two zones of the eastern Paraguaná Peninsula (Falcón state, Venezuela)
Summary
Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrigthii are the dominant seagrasses in the Caribbean, being common across shallow shorelines, either as monospecific or as intermixed meadows. En este trabajo presentamos ocho nuevas especies de decápodos para la Península de Paraguaná (estado Falcón, Venezuela) asociados a praderas mixtas de hierbas marinas: Achelous tumidulus Stimpson, 1871, Alpheus floridanus Kingsley, 1878, Chorinus heros (Herbst, 1790), Clibanarius antillensis (Stimpson, 1859), Clibanarius sclopetarius (Herbst, 1796), Latreutes parvulus (Stimpson, 1866), Panopeus occidentalis Saussure, 1857, y Processa fimbriata Manning & Chace, 1971. Seagrasses are experiencing a global decline in abundance (and there is a reduction of its associated community), which is mainly attributed to anthropogenic activities, such as sedimentation due to deforestation, an excessive production of nutrients in coastal waters, as well as habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, and hydrological alterations (Cabaço et al, 2008; Ávila et al, 2015) Because of their sensibility to disturbances, seagrasses are considered good. The information regarding Halodule spp. and its associated community is scarce, and there is even less information concerning dual assemblages of T. testudinum and H. wrigthii
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