Defenses of Caribbean sponges against invertebrate predators. I. Assays with hermit crabs

Abstract

Hermit crabs (Decapoda: Anomura) are typically omnivorous and are common on Caribbean coral reefs. Sponges are sessile, fleshy, and high in protein and energy content, yet hermit crabs do not appear to prey on them. Assays were performed with the Caribbean reef hermit crab Paguristes punticeps to determine whether secondary metabolites or skeletal elements of Caribbean sponges that were incorporated into artificial foods affected feeding. Of 30 sponge species assayed, 26 (87 %) yielded organic extracts that deterred feedlng by P punticeps. There was substantial interspecific and intraspecific vanabllity in patterns of chemical deterrence. Sponges of the families Axinellidae, Agelasidae, Aplysinidae, Aplysinellidae, and Thorectidae typically yielded deterrent extracts. Three common sponge species, Mycale laevis, Callyspongla vaginalis, and Niphates erecta, were consistently non-deterrent, while other species, including Spheciospongja othella, Chondrilla nucula, Callyspongia plicifera. Niphates digitalis, and Xestospongia muta, were variably deterrent. These results are in general agreement with those of a previous survey of Caribbean sponge chemical defenses using the common reef fish Thalassoma bifasciatum. However, some results differed: Geodia neptuni and Iotrochota birotulata were consistently palatable to T. bifasciatum, but were deterrent to P. punticeps. Several species that were consistently deterrent to 7 bifasciatum were variably deterrent to P punticeps, including Aplysina caulifornus, Aplysina fulva, Ircinia strobilina, Amphimedon compressa, and Mycale laxjssima. Neither spicules (from Agelas clathrodes, Ectyoplasia feros, and Xestospongia muta) nor splculated spongin skeleton (from A. clathrodes and X. muta) deterred feeding by P, punticeps. Spicules and spiculated spongin were similarly non-deterrent to the fish T bifasciatum in a previous survey. The results of this study further suggest that chemical defenses are important in the ecology of Caribbean sponges, while skeletal components do not serve an antipredatory function.

Chemical Mediation of Interactions Among Marine Organisms

“…197 Another survey of extracts from 30 Caribbean sponge species assayed for their effects on feeding by the omnivorous hermit crab Paguristes punticeps, also demonstrated that twenty-six sponges (87%) were chemically defended against the hermit crab. 198 A few results differed between the two surveys. Two sponges that were consistently palatable to T. bifasciatum.…”

Antibiotic, cytotoxic and enzyme inhibitory activity of crude extracts from Brazilian marine invertebrates

“…The storage of biologically active secondary metabolites by marine invertebrates is frequently related to their ecological success, in spite of their exposition to predation, infestation by microbial pathogens, overgrowth, fouling and competition for space and nutrients (reviewed in Amsler et al, 2001;Blunt et al, 2007;Faulkner et al, 2004;Lindquist, 2002;Paul, 1992;Pawlik, 1993;Stachowicz, 2001). Marine sponges, ascidians, soft-bodied cnidaria and bryozoans are representative groups of marine invertebrates which are chemically defended against predators (for selected examples, see Aceret et al, 2001;Becerro et al, 1998;Burns et al, 2003;Chanas et al, 1996;Epifanio et al, 1999a;Epifanio et al, 1999b;Kubanek et al, 2002;Lindel et al, 2000;Lindquist, 1996;Marin et al, 1998;McClintock and Baker, 1997;O'Neal and Pawlik, 2002;Pawlik et al, 1995;Pisut and Pawlik, 2002;Stachowicz and Lindquist, 1997;Van Alstyne et al, 1994;Vervoort et al, 1998;Waddell and Pawlik, 2000), fouling (Becerro et al, 1997;Bhosale et al, 2002;Hattori et al, 2001;Henrikson and Pawlik, 1995;Kelly et al, 2003;Wahl et al, 1994), larval settlement (reviewed in Davis et al, 1989;Fusetani, 1997;Martín and Uriz, 1993;Pawlik, 1992) and solar UV radiation (Bandaranayake et...…”

The marine sponge Chondrilla nucula Schmidt, 1862 as an elective candidate for bioremediation in integrated aquaculture

“…This photophylous species shows a modular growth system due to the production of clones that can form large patches on hard substrata [24]. C. nucula exhibits a strong ability to compete for space [25 Á/27], and contains deterrent chemicals [28,29] as well as novel compounds [30 Á/33]. We already tested C. nucula in Mediterranean experimental sponge farms, where it showed high tolerance to transplantation as well as high growth rates [24].…”