Host-dependent variation in density of corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) at Curaçao, southern Caribbean

Potkamp, Gerrit; Vermeij, Mark J. A.; Hoeksema, Bert W.

doi:10.1007/s12526-016-0596-9

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…All encountered host associations for C. galea were also found in Curaçao [12]. Orbicella annularis was by far the most common host of Coralliophila galea, which also agrees with results found on Curaçao [94]. Studies in other Caribbean localities also reported this association as common [95,96].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Resource Partitioning by Corallivorous Snails on Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Verboom

Hoeksema

2022

Diversity

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A biodiversity survey on three corallivorous snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) was performed at 28 sites around the island of Bonaire to assess their distribution patterns and associated host corals. The snails and their hosts were identified and counted in three depth zones: 5–10, 10–20, and 20–30 m. The snails were Coralliophila galea and C. salebrosa (Muricidae: Coralliophilinae), and Cyphoma gibbosum (Ovulidae: Simniinae). All three species were widespread around the island without apparent interspecific geographical variation. Coralliophila galea was found exclusively on scleractinian corals, Coralliophila salebrosa almost exclusively on octocorals, and Cyphoma gibbosum only on octocorals. Coralliophila salebrosa showed more dietary overlap with Cyphoma gibbosum than with Coralliophila galea. Coralliophila galea was the most commonly encountered species with the largest number of host species. Owing to its hosts distribution, this species also showed a greater maximum depth and a wider bathymetrical range than the other two snails. The other two snails were shallower and their depth ranges did not differ significantly. Host-coral size did not seem to have influence on the number of snails per host. Coral damage caused by the snails was visible but appeared to be low, causing no mortality in Bonaire, which suggests that the relation with their hosts is more parasitic than predatory. Because these three corallivores have occasionally been reported to occur as outbreaks in other Caribbean localities and may act as vectors in the dispersal of coral diseases, it is recommended that future studies should focus on their population dynamics.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Resource Partitioning by Corallivorous Snails on Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Verboom

Hoeksema

2022

Diversity

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“…Most of the host species associations for Coralliophila galea and C. caribaea found in the present study have been previously recorded (Miller, 1981;Brawley and Adey, 1982;Hayes, 1990a;Bruckner et al, 1997;Del Monaco et al, 2010;Potkamp et al, 2017). Feeding of C. galea on Orbicella annularis was found to be infrequent around 1970 (Robertson, 1970;Ott and Lewis, 1972), but later clearly impacted reef communities (Brawley and Adey, 1982;Knowlton et al, 1988Knowlton et al, , 1990Hayes, 1990a;Bruckner et al, 1997;Baums et al, 2003b).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Genetic and morphological variation in corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) living on different host corals at Curaçao, southern Caribbean

Potkamp

Vermeij

Hoeksema

2017

CTOZ

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Snails of the genus Coralliophila (Muricidae: Coralliophilinae) are common corallivores in the Caribbean, feeding on a wide range of host species. In the present study, the morphological and genetic variation in C. galea and C. caribaea were studied in relation to their association with host coral species at Curaçao. Differences in shell shape among snails living on different hosts were quantified using geometric morphometric and phylogenetic relationships were studied using two mitochondrial markers (12S and COI). Based on these analyses, a new species, C. curacaoensis sp. nov., was found in association with the scleractinian coral Madracis auretenra. Both C. galea and C. caribaea showed host-specific differences in shell shape, size, and shell allometry (i.e. changes in morphological development during growth). Shell spire variability contributed foremost to the overall variation in shell shape. In C. caribaea minor genetic differences existed between snails associated with scleractinian and alcyonacean corals, whereas in C. galea such intraspecific variation was not found. These results shed more light on morphological and genetic differences among coral-associated fauna living on different host species.

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“…Paradoxically, in the classification proposed by Darling et al (2012) , Orbicella annularis (formerly known as Montastraea annularis ) ( Budd et al, 2012 ) is placed in the stress-tolerant category. There is evidence, however, indicating that the vital rates of this coral are sensitive to environmental stressors such as increased water temperature ( Edmunds & Elahi, 2007 ; Hernández-Pacheco, Hernández-Delgado & Sabat, 2011 ) and is one of the most susceptible Caribbean corals to corallivorous snails ( Potkamp, Vermeij & Hoeksema, 2017a , 2017b ). It is, also, susceptible to coral diseases ( Bruckner & Bruckner, 2006 ; Weil, Urreiztieta & Garzón-Ferreira, 2002 ; Weil, Cróquer & Urreiztieta, 2009 ) and is classified as “endangered” by the IUCN list ( Carpenter et al, 2008 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative demography of two common scleractinian corals:Orbicella annularisandPorites astreoides

Soto-Santiago

Mercado-Molina

Reyes-Maldonado

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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BackgroundStudies directed at understanding the demography and population dynamics of corals are relatively scarce. This limits our understanding of both the dynamics of coral populations and our capacity to develop management and conservation initiatives directed at conserving such ecosystems.MethodsFrom 2012 to 2014, we collected data on the growth, survival, and recruitment rates of two common Caribbean coral species, the stress-tolerant Orbicella annularis and the weedy Porites astreoides. A set of size-based population matrix model was developed for two localities in Northeastern Puerto Rico and used to estimate population growth rates (λ) and determine the life cycle transition(s) that contribute the most to spatiotemporal differences in λs. The model was parameterized by following the fate of 100 colonies of each species at the two sites for two years.ResultsOur data indicate that spatial variability in vital rates of both species was higher than temporal variability. During the first year, populations of O. annularis exhibited λs below equilibrium at Carlos Rosario (0.817) and Palomino (0.694), followed by a considerable decline at both sites during the second year (0.700 and 0.667). Populations of P. astreoides showed higher λs than O. annularis during the first census period at Carlos Rosario (0.898) and Palomino (0.894) with a decline at one of the sites (0.681 and 0.893) during the second census period. Colony fate in both species exhibited a significant interaction with respect to location but not to time (G2 = 20.96; df = 3 for O. annularis and G2 = 9.55; df = 3 for P. astreoides).DiscussionThe similar variability of λs as well as the similar survival rates for both species during the two-year census period (2012–2014) show similar variability on demographic patterns in space and time. Our results suggest that location rather than time is important for the resiliency in coral colonies. Also, P. astreoides will show higher resistance to disturbance in the future than O. annularis.

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Host-dependent variation in density of corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) at Curaçao, southern Caribbean

Cited by 13 publications

References 50 publications

Resource Partitioning by Corallivorous Snails on Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Resource Partitioning by Corallivorous Snails on Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Genetic and morphological variation in corallivorous snails (Coralliophila spp.) living on different host corals at Curaçao, southern Caribbean

Comparative demography of two common scleractinian corals:Orbicella annularisandPorites astreoides

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