Settlement of larval top shell Turbo�(Batillus)�cornutus in response to several marine algae

Abstract

The settlement of larval top shell Turbo (Batillus) cornutus in response to seven macroalgal and three benthic diatom species was examined in the laboratory. The percentages of larval settlement different significantly among algal species, and were significantly higher on two red algal species (Marginisporum crassissima, an articulated coralline alga, and Gelidium elegans, an agarophyte) than on the green algae, brown algae and benthic diatoms tested. Marginisporum crassissima induced larval settlement most strongly throughout the experiments. The percentage of larval settlement on a crustose coralline alga (unidentified species), which is known as a suitable substratum for abalone larvae, was much lower than on M. crassissima and G. elegans, which have morphologically complex growth forms. The percentage of settled individuals on ethanol-killed M. crassissima was much lower than on intact M. crassissima. The results indicate that physical structure is unlikely to be the main inducer of settlement; therefore, settlement of top shell larvae seems to be strongly induced by chemicals from the two red algal species. The specific distribution of juvenile top shell in the field may be at least partly determined by the strong induction of larval settlement by articulated coralline and gelidiacean algae.