Habitat use by sponge-dwelling brittlestars
Habitat use by sponge-dwelling brittlestars
复制标题
海绵海蛇尾对栖息地的利用
DOI：
10.1007/s00227-004-1448-x
复制
发表时间：
2005
期刊：
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
J. Pawlik
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Timothy P. Henkel;J. Pawlik
Cryptic organisms often associate with sessile invertebrates for refuge in space-limited environments. To examine interspecific habitat associations on coral reefs, tube- and vase-shaped sponges were surveyed for associated brittlestars at six sites on the coral reefs off Key Largo, Florida. Of 179 sponges encountered,Callyspongia vaginaliswas the most abundant (43.0%), followed byNiphates digitalis(39.7%), andCallyspongia plicifera(4.5%). Three of eight sponge species surveyed did not differ fromC.vaginalisin two physical refuge characteristics: oscular diameter and inner tube surface area. Brittlestars (416 total), all of the genusOphiothrix, were only found inC.vaginalis,N.digitalis, andC.plicifera. The most abundant brittlestar,O.lineata(326), occurred onC.vaginalis(99.0%) andN.digitalis(1.0%), whileO.suensonii(67) occurred onC.vaginalis(79.1%),N.digitalis(19.4%), andC.plicifera(1.5%). There was no pattern of co-occurrence ofO.lineataandO.suensoniionC.vaginalis. The abundance ofO.lineataincreased with surface area ofC.vaginalis. Differential habitat use was observed inO.lineata, with small individuals (<5 mm disk diameter) located inside and on the surface of sponge tubes and large individuals (≥5 mm) solely inside tubes. The number of largeO.lineatainC.vaginalisnever exceeded the number of tubes per sponge, and taggedO.lineataremained in the same sponge for at least 3 weeks. In density manipulations, no pattern of intraspecific competition among largeO.lineatawas observed; however, there was evidence for interaction between size-classes. Brittlestars selected live sponge habitat over a non-living refuge, suggesting a mechanism for sponge habitat recognition. Sponge-dwelling brittle stars prefer some tube- and vase-shaped sponge species despite similar oscular diameters and surface areas. Surprisingly, these preferred sponge species are known from previous studies to be chemically undefended against generalist fish predators; therefore, brittlestars that inhabit these sponges do not gain an associational chemical defense. Sponge habitat use byO.lineatamay be governed by intraspecific interactions to maintain habitat and access to food. While past studies have suggested thatO.lineatais an obligate sponge commensal, the present study suggests thatO.lineatahas a species-specific association with the tube-spongeC.vaginalis.
影响因子：
4.8
作者：
MACARTHUR, RH
通讯作者：
MACARTHUR, RH