Christmas tree worms as epibionts of giant clams at Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand

Schoot, Roel van der; Scott, Chad M.; Hove, H.A. ten; Hoeksema, Bert W.

doi:10.1007/s12526-015-0439-0

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Earlier, this association was probably not reported because this host is usually less common than other corals (e.g., Scott 1987) and virtually absent in shallow waters (<10 m depth). Other new host discoveries for Spirobranchus were also made by targeting various potential host species (Hoeksema andTen Hove 2014, 2016;Van der Schoot et al 2016). One specimen of H. cucullata showed an association with two individuals of another serpulid, an unidentified Vermiliopsis sp.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Helioseris cucullata as a host coral at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

et al. 2016

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In order to demonstrate how scleractinian corals contribute to marine biodiversity by their host function, information on associated fauna was gathered during a biological survey at St. Eustatius, eastern Caribbean. This knowledge is especially urgent for a host coral such as Helioseris cucullata (Agariciidae), which has undergone strong declines in abundance at various Caribbean localities and has a poor record of associated fauna. New records of H. cucullata as host are presented for the coral gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus (Cryptochiridae), the Christmas tree worm Spirobranchus giganteus (Serpulidae) and an unidentified serpulid tube worm of the genus Vermiliopsis. A second association record is reported for the coral barnacle Megatrema madreporarum (Pyrgomatidae). Coral-associated copepods were not found on H. cucullata despite a search for these animals. The new records were compared with previous records of other host coral species that showed elements of the same associated fauna. The present findings indicate that new discoveries concerning Caribbean coral reef biodiversity can still be made during field expeditions by targeting the assemblages of associated fauna of specific benthic host species.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Helioseris cucullata as a host coral at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

et al. 2016

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“…They rarely settle on other invertebrates, such as giant clams (Van der Schoot et al. ), but when the original host becomes overgrown by sponges or soft corals, the latter can act as secondary hosts (Hoeksema et al. , García‐Hernández and Hoeksema ).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Regarding host selection, they are known to be generalists, both on Caribbean and Indo-Pacific coral reefs ten Hove 2017, Perry et al 2018a). They rarely settle on other invertebrates, such as giant clams (Van der Schoot et al 2016), but when the original host becomes overgrown by sponges or soft corals, the latter can act as secondary hosts (Hoeksema et al 2015, Garc ıa-Hern andez and.…”

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confidence: 99%

Filamentous turf algae on tube worms intensify damage in massive Porites corals

Hoeksema

Schoot

Wels

et al. 2019

Ecology

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“…In general, some Indo-Pacific Spirobranchus worms also appear to be generalists (Dai and Yang 1995;Montebon and Yap 2009), and one species is even able to settle on non-coral hosts, such as giant clams (Van der Schoot et al 2016). Because the present report contains nine new host records for just the Caribbean, surveys are needed in other coral reef areas in order to obtain a more complete overview of host corals for Spirobranchus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

The invasive sun coral Tubastraea coccinea hosting a native Christmas tree worm at Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean

Hoeksema

Hove

2016

Mar Biodiv

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Interspecific relationships of invasive species hosting a native associated species are noteworthy, particularly if the invasive does not have a similar relationship in its native range. The azooxanthellate Indo-Pacific coral Tubastraea coccinea (Dendrophylliidae) has become a widespread invasive in the tropical western Atlantic, where it was probably introduced as a fouling organism in the 1930s. During recent coral reef surveys this invader has been observed as host for a native tube worm, Spirobranchus giganteus (Serpulidae), at Curaçao, where this association was most commonly found on a shipwreck. Although Spirobranchus species are known to live in association with various shallow-water corals in the Atlantic and the IndoPacific, none of them has been recorded as an associate of a dendrophylliid or of an azooxanthellate coral before. This new association may be possible because of the generalist host selection of S. giganteus, which could have been facilitated by the availability of shipwrecks and other man-made substrates.

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Christmas tree worms as epibionts of giant clams at Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

Helioseris cucullata as a host coral at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

Helioseris cucullata as a host coral at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

Filamentous turf algae on tube worms intensify damage in massive Porites corals

The invasive sun coral Tubastraea coccinea hosting a native Christmas tree worm at Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean

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