Abstract
Chemical cues from sessile hosts can attract mobile and associated organisms and they are also impotant to maintain associations and overall biodiversity, but the identity and molecular structures of these chemicals have been little explored in the marine environment. Secondary metabolites are recognized as possible chemical mediators in the association between species of Laurencia and Aplysia, but the identity of the compounds has not been established. Here, for the first time, we experimentally verify that the sesquiterpene (+)-elatol, a compound produced by the red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea, is a chemical cue attracting the associated sea hare Aplysia brasiliana. In addition to revealing the nature of the chemical mediation between these two species, we provide evidence of a chemical cue that allows young individuals of A. brasiliana to live in association with L. dendroidea. This study highlights the importance of chemical cues in Laurencia-Aplysia association.
Highlights
In the marine environment, chemical cues or waterborne infochemicals act as mediators in different intra- and inter-specific ecological interactions between organisms [1], such as chemical defense [2], settlement and recruitment of larvae [3], feeding stimuli [4], foraging behavior [5], selection and localization of prey [6], among others
We addressed the following two questions, evaluated under laboratory conditions: (1) Which compounds in seawater are exudates from L. dendroidea? and (2) How does the mollusc A. brasiliana respond to L. dendroidea metabolites in bioassays? many studies assume its occurrence, to our knowledge this is the first study that tested and identified Laurencia chemical cues for Aplysia
A total of 15 sesquiterpenes of L. dendroidea were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to obtain a GC/MS database of Laurencia metabolites
Summary
Chemical cues or waterborne infochemicals act as mediators in different intra- and inter-specific ecological interactions between organisms [1], such as chemical defense [2], settlement and recruitment of larvae [3], feeding stimuli [4], foraging behavior [5], selection and localization of prey [6], among others. Marine organisms produce a wide variety of molecules that mediate these ecological interactions [1, 7]. Despite their broad and crucial roles in population structure, community organization and ecosystem function in marine systems, the omnipresence of these chemical cues and their impacts are still inadequately recognized [1]. Red seaweeds of the genus Laurencia are well established as rich producers of secondary metabolites [9]. Since investigations of this taxon began more than 60 years ago, more than
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