Hiatella Arctica Research Articles

IDENTIFIKASI HEWAN INVERTEBRATA PADA FILUM MOLUSKA DI PESISIR PANTAI KENJERAN SURABAYA

One way to identify an object is to make observations to a place to find objects that will be examined, in this article we take invertebrate animal objects in the mollusca phylum on Kenjeran Beach Surabaya. Phylum mollusca are a group of soft-bodied and invertebrate animals with shell-protected bodies. Data collection was carried out using exploration and observation methods, with research data analysis techniques using descriptive analysis techniques. 5 species of mollusca were obtained on the Kenjeran Coast, namely sea snails (Bolinus brandaris), Hiatella arctica, Sorgenfreispira brachystoma, Eupleura caudata and Keoang mas (Pomacea canaliculate). The existence of this study aims to recognize invertebrate animals in the mollusk phylum and the important characteristics of the species we found there.

The movement patterns and foraging resources of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in Franz Josef Land archipelago and connectivity with the Kara‐Barents Sea population

AbstractThe Franz Josef Land population of the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) remains one of the least studied. Here, 26 walruses were tagged with satellite‐linked radio transmitters in Franz Josef Land archipelago and Victoria Island in summer‐autumn 2020 and 2021 to assess movements patterns and area utilization. In addition, 65 grab samples were taken to evaluate macrobenthic foraging resources. The mean duration of data records was 53 ± 27 days. The walruses traveled on average 29 ± 13.5 km/day with a mean speed of 1.2 ± 0.6 km/hr. The travel speed and distance were statistically different for male, female, and immature walruses. The individuals tagged on Victoria Island remained in the vicinity of the island, while walruses tagged within the Franz Josef Land archipelago moved between the islands, utilizing the entire area for foraging trips. One walrus migrated from Franz Josef Land to Novaya Zemlya in late November, providing evidence of connectivity with the Kara‐Barents Sea population. The area was characterized by high average biomass of macrobenthos. Bivalve mollusks, Hiatella arctica, were dominating macrobenthic biomass, likely being the main foraging resource for the walruses. Further observations are needed to better understand winter behaviors of Franz Josef Land walruses and possible impacts of climate change on movement patterns.

Seasonal lipid dynamics of four Arctic bivalves: Implications for their physiological capacities to cope with future changes in coastal ecosystems.

The Arctic is exposed to unprecedented warming, at least three times higher than the global average, which induces significant melting of the cryosphere. Freshwater inputs from melting glaciers will subsequently affect coastal primary production and organic matter quality. However, due to a lack of basic knowledge on the physiology of Arctic organisms, it remains difficult to understand how these future trophic changes will threaten the long-term survival of benthic species in coastal habitats. This study aimed to gain new insights into the seasonal lipid dynamics of four dominant benthic bivalves (Astarte moerchi, Hiatella arctica, Musculus discors, and Mya truncata) collected before and after sea ice break-up in a high-Arctic fjord (Young Sound, NE Greenland). Total lipid content and fatty acid composition of digestive gland neutral lipids were analyzed to assess bivalve energy reserves while the fatty acid composition of gill polar lipids was determined as a biochemical indicator of interspecies variations in metabolic activity and temperature acclimation. Results showed a decrease in lipid reserves between May and August, suggesting that bivalves have only limited access to fresh organic matter until sea ice break-up. The lack of seasonal variation in the fatty acid composition of neutral lipids, especially essential ω3 fatty acids, indicates that no fatty acid transfer from the digestive glands to the gonads occurs between May and August, and therefore, no reproductive investment takes place during this period. Large interspecies differences in gill fatty acid composition were observed, which appear to be related to differences in species life span and metabolic strategies. Such differences in gill fatty acid composition of polar lipids, which generally influence metabolic rates and energy needs, may imply that not all benthic species will be equally sensitive to future changes in primary production and organic matter quality in Arctic coastal habitats.

New Data on Paleogeography of Quaternary Coast Sediments of the Rivers of the European North of Russia Using Isotope-Geochemical Methods

(1) Background: The Quaternary river bank deposits of the European North of Russia contain several mollusk fossils that can give important past-climate information which is relevant to understand the evolution of climate in the Holocene period and predict future scenarios on climate change. (2) The purpose of the research: reconstruction of the main physical and chemical parameters of the habitat of mollusks based on the determination of the species of mollusks and the study of the isotope-geochemical composition of shells and their host deposits. (3) Object of study: Quaternary deposits of coastal outcrops of the rivers of the European North of Russia: Pechora Sula, Peza, bivalve shells, and their fragments. (4) Results: The revealed macrofauna complexes represented by bivalves (Arctica islandica, Hiatella arctica, Mytilus edulis, Tridonta borealis, Mya truncata, Neptunea despecta) were determined and the variations of δ13C and δ18O (‰) isotopes in the studied fossil bivalve shells were calculated. The data on the concentrations of chemical elements in fossil shells were determined and summarized. The content of elements in mollusk shells varied within the following limits: Fe 101.7−403.3 µg/g (Vastyansky Kon’, river Pechora), Mg 0.38–2.61 µg/g (Vastyansky Kon’, river Pechora), Ba 18.27–60.44 µg/g (village Oksino-River Sula), and Sr 1128.3–2275.34 µg/g (Vastyansky Kon’-village Oksino, river Pechora). The ratio between the elements varies within Ba/Sr 0.011–0.041 (village Oksino- River Sula) and Mg/Fe 0.01–0.15 (Vastyansky Kon’- village Oksino, river Pechora).

Larval dispersal and recruitment of benthic invertebrates in the Arctic Ocean

Larval dispersal is a fundamental process responsible for colonization and connectivity of benthic invertebrate populations. It is difficult to study larval dispersal in polar environments because weather and climate conditions restrict sample collection to certain seasons. In this study, we leveraged oceanographic moorings as long-term scientific platforms for collecting larvae and recruits of benthic invertebrate species in the Fram Strait and along the continental slope north of Svalbard in 2017–2021. Larval traps and fouling panels were deployed at various depths on 15 moorings at 8 locations, and additional specimens of biofouling were obtained opportunistically from moored instruments. Our results showed a significant difference in species composition between samples collected in Atlantic Water in the West Spitsbergen Current (WSC) and samples collected in Arctic Water near the seafloor and in the East Greenland Current (EGC) in the western part of the Fram Strait. There was also a stark difference between Atlantic Water species in the Fram Strait and on the north Svalbard slope. Most specimens collected in the WSC belonged to species with long-duration planktotrophic larvae, such as the ubiquitous bivalve Hiatella arctica, the bryozoan Alcyonidium mamillatum, and two nudibranchs. Samplers exposed primarily to Arctic water at their given depth and location were dominated by hydrozoans. We observed medusae budding off of the hydroids Stegopoma plicatile and Rhizoragium roseum. Our study demonstrates that the WSC is an important vector for larval dispersal into the central Arctic Ocean. Integration of biological samplers on oceanographic moorings holds great promise for monitoring efforts as climate change progresses, especially in environments where research is challenging and seasonally limited, such as the Arctic.

Hiatella arctica

This datasheet on Hiatella arctica covers Identity, Distribution.

Microplastic contamination of the drilling bivalve Hiatella arctica in Arctic rhodolith beds

There is an increasing number of studies reporting microplastic (MP) contamination in the Arctic environment. We analysed MP abundance in samples from a marine Arctic ecosystem that has not been investigated in this context and that features a high biodiversity: hollow rhodoliths gouged by the bivalve Hiatella arctica. This bivalve is a filter feeder that potentially accumulates MPs and may therefore reflect MP contamination of the rhodolith ecosystem at northern Svalbard. Our analyses revealed that 100% of the examined specimens were contaminated with MP, ranging between one and 184 MP particles per bivalve in samples from two water depths. Polymer composition and abundance differed strongly between both water depths: samples from 40 m water depth showed a generally higher concentration of MPs and were clearly dominated by polystyrene, samples from 27 m water depth were more balanced in composition, mainly consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene. Long-term consequences of MP contamination in the investigated bivalve species and for the rhodolith bed ecosystem are yet unclear. However, the uptake of MPs may potentially impact H. arctica and consequently its functioning as ecosystem engineers in Arctic rhodolith beds.

Ocean Acidification and Mollusc Settlement in Posidonia oceanica Meadows: Does the Seagrass Buffer Lower pH Effects at CO2 Vents?

Ocean acidification has been broadly recognised to have effects on the structure and functioning of marine benthic communities. The selection of tolerant or vulnerable species can also occur during settlement phases, especially for calcifying organisms which are more vulnerable to low pH–high pCO2 conditions. Here, we use three natural CO2 vents (Castello Aragonese north and south sides, and Vullatura, Ischia, Italy) to assess the effect of a decrease of seawater pH on the settlement of Mollusca in Posidonia oceanica meadows, and to test the possible buffering effect provided by the seagrass. Artificial collectors were installed and collected after 33 days, during April–May 2019, in three different microhabitats within the meadow (canopy, bottom/rhizome level, and dead matte without plant cover), following a pH decreasing gradient from an extremely low pH zone (pH < 7.4), to ambient pH conditions (pH = 8.10). A total of 4659 specimens of Mollusca, belonging to 57 different taxa, were collected. The number of taxa was lower in low and extremely low pH conditions. Reduced mollusc assemblages were reported at the acidified stations, where few taxa accounted for a high number of individuals. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in mollusc assemblages among pH conditions, microhabitat, and the interaction of these two factors. Acanthocardia echinata, Alvania lineata, Alvania sp. juv, Eatonina fulgida, Hiatella arctica, Mytilys galloprovincialis, Musculus subpictus, Phorcus sp. juv, and Rissoa variabilis were the species mostly found in low and extremely low pH stations, and were all relatively robust to acidified conditions. Samples placed on the dead matte under acidified conditions at the Vullatura vent showed lower diversity and abundances if compared to canopy and bottom/rhizome samples, suggesting a possible buffering role of the Posidonia on mollusc settlement. Our study provides new evidence of shifts in marine benthic communities due to ocean acidification and evidence of how P. oceanica meadows could mitigate its effects on associated biota in light of future climate change.

Changes to benthic community structure may impact organic matter consumption on Pacific Arctic shelves.

Changes in species composition and biomass of Arctic benthic communities are predicted to occur in response to environmental changes associated with oceanic warming and sea-ice loss. Such changes will likely impact ecosystem function, including flows of energy and organic material through the Arctic marine food web. Oxygen consumption rates can be used to quantify differences in metabolic demand among species and estimate the effects of shifting community structure on benthic carbon consumption. Closed-system respirometry using non-invasive oxygen optodes was conducted onboard the R/V Sikuliaq in June 2017 and 2018 on six dominant species of benthic macrofauna from the northern Bering and southern Chukchi Sea shelves, including five bivalve species (Macoma sp., Serripes groenlandicus, Astarte sp., Hiatella arctica and Nuculana pernula) and one amphipod species (Ampelisca macrocephala). Results revealed species-specific respiration rates with high metabolic demand for S. groenlandicus and A. macrocephala compared to that of the other species. For a hypothetical 0.1-g ash-free dry mass individual, the standard metabolic rate of S. groenlandicus would be 4.3 times higher than that of Astarte sp. Overall, carbon demand ranged from 8 to 475 μg C individual−1 day−1 for the species and sizes of individuals measured. The allometric scaling of respiration rate with biomass also varied among species. The scaling coefficient was similar for H. arctica, A. macrocephala and Astarte sp., while it was high for S. groenlandicus and low for Macoma sp. These results suggest that observed shifts in spatial distribution of the dominant macrofaunal taxa across this region will impact carbon demand of the benthic community. Hence, ecosystem models seeking to incorporate benthic system functionality may need to differentiate between communities that exhibit different oxygen demands.

Modiolus modiolus Communities of Onega Bay, White Sea: How Stable Are They over Time and Space?

Macrozoobenthic communities of Onega Bay of the White Sea were studied in 2010 at ten stations, which repeated the survey sites performed in the 1950s and 1980s by the staff of the White Sea Biological Station, USSR Academy of Sciences. Benthic communities where bivalve mollusks dominated by biomass were observed at all sites investigated in 2010. The stations were divided into two main groups; Modiolus modiolus was the dominant species in the first one, Clinocardium ciliatum in combination with various bivalve species as subdominants dominated in the second. There were also communities in which Hiatella arctica and Macoma calcarea dominated; each community was recorded at only one station. Due to the inability to follow accurately the sampling methods and the peculiarities of primary processing used in the historical surveys, the comparison of the data was carried out using only bivalves, because this was the most reliably defined group that unquestionably dominated in all communities. No significant changes were found in bivalve dominance. The replacement of the blue mussel settlement with a Hiatella arctica community was observed at a shallow depth (13 m). Deeper than 40 m, the dominants changed: Clinocardium ciliatum by Mya truncata (1952), Elliptica elliptica by Macoma calcarea (1981), and Clinocardium ciliatum by Macoma calcarea (2010); these changes were most likely associated with the patchy distribution of these key forms. Modiolus modiolus communities, observed in Onega Bay in 1952 and 1981 at depths of less than 40 m, were found in the same places in 2010. The stability of macrobenthic communities, where large, long-lived bivalves dominated (in particular, Modiolus), was most likely due to the absence of significant changes in the environmental conditions and of an anthropogenic load in Onega Bay during at least the second half of the XX century and the early XXI century.

НОВЫЕ ДАННЫЕ ПО ПАЛЕОГЕОГРАФИИ ВОСТОЧНОГО ПОБЕРЕЖЬЯ ЗАЛИВА ГРЁН-ФЬОРД (ОСТРОВ ЗАПАДНЫЙ ШПИЦБЕРГЕН) НА ОСНОВАНИИ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ ГОЛОЦЕНОВЫХ ОТЛОЖЕНИЙ НА МЫСЕ ФИННИСЕТ С ПРИМЕНЕНИЕМ ИЗОТОПНО-ГЕОХИМИЧЕСКИХ МЕТОДОВ

Актуальность исследования заключается в определении возраста моллюсков в заливе Грен-фьорд на архипелаге Шпицберген и физико-химических параметров среды их обитания в условиях угрозы разрушения геологических обнажений с находящимися в них моллюсками и костным материалом птиц и рыб в результате активно развивающихся процессов береговой термоабразии и техногенной нагрузки комбината «Арктикуголь». Цель: реконструкция основных физико-химических параметров среды обитания моллюсков в голоцене на основе определения видовой принадлежности моллюсков и изучения изотопно-геохимического состава раковин и вмещающих их горных пород. Методы: определение видовой принадлежности раковин моллюсков с использованием морфологического метода; разложение образцов раковин путем кислотного вскрытия; определение содержания макро- и микроэлементов на масс-спектрометре с индуктивно связанной плазмой Aurora Elite фирмы Bruker (Германия) и на волнодисперсном рентгенфлуоресцентном спектрометре LabCenter XRF-1800; определение отношений стабильных изотопов на масс-спектрометре Finningan МАТ253; определение возраста раковин моллюсков на жидкостном низкофоновом сцинтилляционном счетчике. Объекты: четвертичные отложения берегового клифа мыса Финнисет (залив Грён-фьорд, арх. Западный Шпицберген), раковины двустворчатых моллюсков и их фрагменты. Результаты. Определены обнаруженные комплексы макрофауны, представленные двустворчатыми моллюсками (Hiatella arctica, Mytilus edulis, Tridonta borealis, Mya truncata). Впервые для мыса Финнисет установлен возраст ископаемых раковин морских моллюсков, который составляет от 7970 до 8050 кал. лет. Установлено, что моллюски, найденные в нижних слоях, обитали в более теплой среде чем те, что обнаружены в вышележащих. Реконструированы редокс-условия с помощью соотношения Ni/Co в пределах от 1,5 до 9 единиц и V/Cr менее 2 единиц. Определено содержание U, которое изменяется в диапазоне от 0,2 мг до 4 мг. Анализ отношения Сu/Cr в разрезе показал, что расстояние от области сноса до области осадконакопления изменялось незначительно. Содержания Zn в горной породе свидетельствует о временной регрессии моря и преобладании континентального режима осадконакопления над морским. Определение концентраций Mn в раковинах моллюсков показало, что они обитали в прибрежно-морской зоне с высоким содержанием кислорода.

ПАЛЕОСЕЙСМОГЕННЫЕ ТЕКТОНИЧЕСКИЕ РВЫ – УНИКАЛЬНЫЕ АРХИВЫ ИСТОРИИ БЕЛОГО МОРЯ В ГОЛОЦЕНЕ

Various sedimentary archives at the Karelian coast of the White Sea (Kindo Peninsula, White Sea Biological Station area) as the paleoseismic fault trenches filling, marine terraces sections and buried shell lenses have been studied. The results were obtained by applying the paleoseismological approach in course of detailed field studies with the identification of characteristic morphological, structural and dynamic features of ancient earthquakes. The lithostratigraphic study of depositional sequence was verified by radiocarbon, diatom, plant macrofossil analysis of peat and the degree of its decomposition and loss-of-ignition analyzes. It was established that the earthquake that generated the seismic fault trench system occurred in the Late Glacial or Early Holocene with the formation of a seismic underwater fracture, and the trench “opened” because of the subsequent lifting of the bottom, erosion and removal of fragmented rocks in the wave-breaking zone shortly before filling it with Holocene sediments. Sediments that filled the paleoseismic trench accumulated over the period from 9 ka BP to the present, with a break for passage through the coastal zone. They demonstrate a successive change from marine sedimentary environment (gray silt with Hiatella arctica shells, dated back to 9 ka BP) to coastal-marine (sand with clasts), then again to an isolated, gradually desalinated lagoon-type sea gulf (mica silt dated back to 3 ka BP), and ultimately – swamp overgrown with spruce forest (woody peat dated back to 2 ka BP). The structure of the upper part of the section could be caused by a) a weak rise in sea level in the Late Holocene, or b) a weak lowering of the block of the earth’s crust with a seismic trench located on it. New data were obtained on specific features of subfossil malacofauna taphocoenosis formation in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea and on the changes of sedimentation environment under the conditions of rising coast. The traces of strong seismicity in the Late Galcial epoch and postglacial time were discovered. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to the study of seismogenic forms combined with a full range of age-related markers of various paleogeographic events proved to be very productive.

VRTBY ICHNORODU GASTROCHAENOLITES JAKOŽTO ŽIVOTNÍ PROSTOR MLŽŮ Z LOKALITY BORAČ-PODOLÍ (KARPATSKÁ PŘEDHLUBEŇ, ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA)

In 2015 the locality Borač-Podolí was newly examined. The locality is situated 8 km NW from the town of Tišnov. A large amount of shallow-water fossils of middle Miocene (Badenian) age was collected. The state of preservation of the material enabled us bivalve borings of ichnogenus Gastrochaenolites which were bored into colonies of hermatype corals and other calcareous hard substrates. In some of these borings, bivalves were found in situ. The borings were determined as Gastrochaenolites isp., Gastrochaenolites orbicularis, Gastrochaenolites lapidicus, Gastrochaenolites dijugus and Gastrochaenolites torpedo. The in situ bivalves were determined as Gastrochaena cf. intermedia, Rocellaria cf. dubia, Hiatella arctica and Cardita calyculata. The first three species probably represent primary borers while Cardita calyculata is probably a secondary user (squatter). Based on an analysis of fossil material, we can assume that borings were created aft er the death of corals during the repeated transport of these bioclasts. It led to colonizing of the whole surface of coral bioclasts. The bioclasts were then moved to deeper water. Transport to water with clay sedimentation enabled the preservation of the bivalves in situ in borings.

Seasonality of bivalve larvae within a high Arctic fjord

The temporal and spatial distribution of larval plankton of high latitudes is poorly understood. The objective of this work is to identify the occurrence and abundance of pelagic bivalve larvae within a high Arctic fjord (Adventfjorden, Svalbard) and to reveal their seasonal dynamics in relation to environmental variables—temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a—between December 2011 and January 2013. We applied a combination of DNA barcoding of mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA and morphological analysis to identify the bivalve larvae found within the plankton and demonstrate a strong seasonality in the occurrence of bivalve larvae, largely coinciding with periods of primary productivity. Seasonal occurrences of bivalve larval species differ from those known for other populations across species’ biogeographic distribution ranges. Serripes groenlandicus, which is of circum-Arctic distribution, demonstrated a later occurrence than Mya truncata or Hiatella arctica, which are of predominantly boreal or cosmopolitan distribution, respectively. S. groenlandicus larvae demonstrate the most pronounced response to seasonality, with the shortest presence in the water column. Establishing latitudinal differences in the occurrence of bivalve larvae enhances our understanding of how reproductive traits of marine invertebrates may respond to climate-driven seasonal shifts in the occurrence of primary productivity.

Oregon Sea Stack: Ecological Diversity of a Modern Trypanites Ichnofacies

The paleoecology of rocky substrates in the rock record is commonly interpreted based on ichnology and is frequently associated with a bioeroding community (the Trypanites Ichnofacies) with low ichnological diversity. However, analyses of a modern, siliciclastic, intertidal hardground community at Lion Rock, located at Arcadia Beach State Park, Oregon, reveals a diverse community of boring, encrusting, and squatting/clinging organisms. Through observations and descriptions of organism distribution and abundance, more than 40 species of plants and animals are reported to reside within three littoral zones (upper, middle, and lower littoral zone) on the sea stack. A newly established erosional lower littoral zone is a subdivision of the lower littoral zone, where shifting foreshore sand influences colonization and biotic diversity. Borings are produced by four bivalves, Adula californiensis, Hiatella arctica, Penitella penita, and Zirfaea pilsbryi, and are identified as Gastrochaenolites traces. It is likely that ancient Trypanites Ichnofacies communities had considerably higher diversity and faunal abundance than their ichnological record indicates. It is also likely that Trypanites Ichnofacies are much more dynamic environments, with shifting sediment, wave energy and tidal energy influences. Comparisons with modern assemblages are thus crucial in assessing these environments in ancient successions.

Geographic patterns of genetic diversity in two species complexes of Canadian marine bivalves

Larval development has strong impacts on dispersal potential and gene flow among populations of marine invertebrates. However, Pleistocene glaciations have also played an important role in shaping population structure in benthic taxa in the Northern Hemisphere, even those with planktotrophic larvae. Each glacial advance tended to fragment species distributions, often separating populations for long periods and setting the stage for their differentiation. This study examines patterns of sequence divergence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene in North American populations of two bivalve species complexes, Hiatella arctica s. l. and Macoma balthica s. l., with complementary data from the nuclear internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) gene for the latter. Our results confirm the presence of two known species from the M. balthica complex in Canada, but also provide evidence for a third clade in Atlantic Canada. Our study confirms that the H. arctica complex in Canada contains at least four species, with support for a novel clade (Hiatella N) in the northeastern Pacific. Our results extend the range of a previously identified Hiatella clade (K) to include the northwestern Atlantic. Both M. balthica s. l. and H. arctica s. l. have broad Holarctic distributions and planktotrophic larvae, but this work reveals differences in phylogeographic structure and genetic diversity.

Working on a baseline for the Kongsfjorden food web: production and properties of macroalgal particulate organic matter (POM)

Macroalgae, in particular kelps, produce a large amount of biomass in Kongsfjorden, which is to a great extent released into the water in an annual cycle. As an example, the brown alga Alaria esculenta loses its blade gradually, 3±0.8% of the blade area per day (August 2012), thereby adding to the pool of particulate organic matter (POM) in the fjord. Upon release small thallus pieces are “aging” in that they are prone to leaching and serving as substrate for microorganisms, thus turning into palatable food for suspension and bottom feeders. In order to define a macroalgal baseline for the Kongsfjorden food web, stable isotopes δ14C and δ15N were measured in individuals of Alaria esculenta, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata directly sampled after collection and in artificially produced POM (aPOM) of A. esculenta that was allowed to age under experimental conditions. In aPOM from this species sampled in August 2012 the C/N ratios decreased between d1 and d8 of a 14 day culture period in parallel to the fading photosynthetic activity of the algal fragments as demonstrated by use of an Imaging-PAM. Microscopic observations of the aPOM in August 2012 and 2013 revealed the frequent occurrence of small brown algal endo- and epiphytes. First feeding experiments with Mysis oculata (Mysids) and Hiatella arctica (Bivalves) showed that these species can ingest macroalgal POM. The importance of kelp-derived POM for the food web is subject of the current research.

Fouling community dominated by <em>Metridium senile</em> (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria) in Bahía San Julián (southern Patagonia, Argentina)

The objective of this study is to provide information about a harbour-fouling community dominated by Metridium senile in southern Patagonia. Several steel tubes from the wharf of Puerto San Julian were extracted to perform repair tasks, allowing the attached benthic community to be studied. Sampling was conducted at three levels: lower intertidal, 3-4 m depth and 6-7 m depth. In the lower intertidal, M. senile had a relative abundance of 43%, the most abundant accompanying species being Perumytilus purpuratus, Mytilus edulis platensis and Aulacomya atra atra . At subtidal level, the anemone showed relative abundances of 64% and 65%, and was accompanied by Monocorophium insidiosum at 3-4 m depth and by polychaetes of families Sabellidae and Syllidae at 6-7 m at depth. In the lower intertidal, epibiosis was more frequent on P. purpuratus, A. atra atra and M. edulis platensis , while in the subtidal, the richness of substrate-organisms increased significantly and the anemone was fixed to A. atra atra, M. edulis platensis, Paramolgula gregaria, Crepipatella dilatata, Austromegabalanus psittacus, Hiatella arctica, Polyzoa opuntia, Pyura sp. and Sabellidae tubes. The ability of M. senile to settle on many different organisms, along with other strategies, makes it a colonizer able to displace other species that could compete with it for substratum. Given the cosmopolitan nature of M. senile , the fact that this species has not been previously reported in the coastal zone of the region, and the results of our study, we discuss the possibility that this sea anemone is an invasive alien species in southern Patagonia, or at least a cryptogenic species.

Molecular lineage diversity and inter‐oceanic biogeographical history inHiatella(Mollusca, Bivalvia)

Hiatellais one of the most widespread marine bivalve genera, occurring in diverse habitats from the temperate to polar latitudes in both hemispheres, and in fossil strata since almost 150 Myr ago. Despite variation in some biological and morphological traits, characters to resolve the current systematic structure consistently across the range of the genus are not known: all samples are often referred to a single species,Hiatella arctica(L.). Exploring the systematics ofHiatellausing partial sequences of three genes (mitochondrialCOI,and the nuclearANTand28S rRNA), we find high diversity of deep lineages (11–22%p‐distance inCOI), and identify at least 13 distinct taxa both by heuristic criteria (congruence of the nuclear and mtDNAdata) and by coalescence‐based analyses. At several localities, two or three of these cryptic species were found in sympatry. In the framework of previous fossil evidence and of hypotheses of paleoceanographical connections, scenarios of the phylogeny and biogeographical history of the identified species at a range of different time scales are outlined. The distinction between the main North Pacific and North AtlanticHiatellaclades and systematic diversification within each of them seem to have followed a Miocene trans‐Panamanian invasion. Apart from such earlier intra‐basin diversification, the data suggest that three successive counter‐invasions from the Pacific to the Atlantic via the Arctic Ocean route have later contributed to the current North AtlanticHiatelladiversity. These invasions probably took place in connection with (i) the Great Trans‐Arctic Biotic Interchange in the Pliocene, (ii) the last interglacial periodc. 120 kya and (iii) the Holocene, postdating the last glaciation. This sequence of trans‐Arctic invasions is largely analogous to that hypothesized for some other boreal‐arctic bivalves.

Clumping behavior and byssus production as strategies for substrate competition in Mytilus edulis

AbstractLaboratory experiments showed that the mussel Mytilus edulis aggregated more intensely around living organisms (the bivalve Hiatella arctica and the solitary ascidian Styela rustica, which commonly co‐occur with mussels in fouling communities) than around inanimate objects. When exposed to an inanimate object, mussels attached their byssal threads primarily to the substrate, close to the object, but when exposed to a living organism, they attached their byssal threads directly to the organism. The ascidian was more intensely covered with byssal threads than was the bivalve. Mussel attachment to the ascidians was apparently determined by the physical characteristics of the tunic and to a lesser extent by the excretion‐secretion products released by S. rustica. This study indicates that mussels can use byssus threads as a means of entrapment of potential competitors for space. It remains unclear why mussels preferentially attached to ascidians compared to the bivalve. This can be explained either by competitive interactions, or by attractiveness of the ascidian tunic as an attachment substratum.