Knock knock, who's there?: marine invertebrates in tubes of Ceriantharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa).

Hellen Ceriello,Torkild Bakken,Celine Lopes,James Reimer,Sérgio Stampar,Carlo Cunha,Marcelo Fukuda

doi:10.3897/bdj.8.e47019

Abstract

This study reports on the fauna found in/on tubes of 10 species of Ceriantharia and discusses the characteristics of these occurrences, as well as the use of mollusc shells in ceriantharian tube construction. A total of 22 tubes of Ceriantharia from Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Portugal and the United States were analysed, revealing 58 species of marine invertebrates using them as alternative substrates. Based on a literature review and analyses of the sampled material, we report new occurrences for Photis sarae (Crustacea), Microgaza rotella (Mollusca), Brada sp., Dipolydora spp., Notocirrus spp., and Syllis garciai (Annelida). The use of mollusc shells in tube construction increases the tubes’ structural resistance and strength. Ceriantharian tubes are suitable alternative substrates for the dwelling of numerous tubicolous and infaunal species that usually burrow into sediments or anchor on fixed or mobile habitats seeking shelter, thus playing a relevant role as local biodiversity hotspots.

Highlights

Benthic organisms are well adapted to the habitat conditions present in the locations where they live and estimates of abundance of these organisms are usually related to the habitat in which they are found (Hutchings 1998)
Crustaceans and polychaetes in this study were alive at the time of sampling, they were not alive during tube analyzes
There have been some previous studies on the presence of marine invertebrates anchored on ceriantharian tubes, with results suggesting that they are a suitable option as a consolidated structure for the settlement in unconsolidated bottoms (e.g. O’Connor et al 1977, Moore and Cameron 1999, Stampar et al 2010, Kim and Huys 2012)

Summary

Introduction

Benthic organisms are well adapted to the habitat conditions present in the locations where they live and estimates of abundance of these organisms are usually related to the habitat in which they are found (Hutchings 1998). The soft texture of ceriantharian tubes would initially appear not to be an attractive feature for the anchoring of invertebrate species that usually use rigid structures as anchoring locations. A few studies have reported on species able to settle on this microhabitat (O’Connor et al 1977,Tiffon 1987, Moore and Cameron 1999, Stampar et al 2010, Kim and Huys 2012, Goto et al 2012). The present study reports on invertebrate communities inhabiting tubes of different ceriantharian species from different locations, and discusses their main characteristics

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Results

Conclusion