The population of <i>Errina aspera</i> (Hydrozoa: Stylasteridae) of the Messina Strait (Mediterranean Sea)

Salvati, Eva; Angiolillo, Michela; Bo, Marzia; Bavestrello, Giorgio; Giusti, Michela; Cardinali, A.; Puce, Stefania; Spaggiari, Costanza; Greco, Silvestro; Canese, Simonepietro

doi:10.1017/s0025315410000950

Cited by 33 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Sizefrequency distributions, obtained for the two species in the studied localities, indicate unimodal trends with peaks for the intermediate size classes and long tails. This kind of trend is very common in modular organisms like sponges and corals (Linares et al, 2008;Salvati et al, 2010). We hypothesise that the sponges grow quickly to increase the filtering efficiency and to avoid the sedimentation while their maximal size is probably constrained by the friction with the current (and partially by predation).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Symbiotic relationships between sponges and zoanthids have been frequently observed in tropical and subtropical waters (Swain & Wulff, 2007;Reimer et al, 2008), from shallow to deep habitats (Beaulieu, 2001). In the Mediterranean Sea, it is well documented the recurrent relationship between Parazoanthus axinellae Schmidt, 1862 and several species of sponges belonging to the genus Axinella (Sarà & Vacelet, 1973;Previati et al, 2010), however, some species are more commonly found on hard bottom substrates (Salvati et al, 2010). As pointed out recently (MontenegroGonzález & Acosta, 2010), the sponge morphology is an important trait in zoanthid habitat selection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Role of deep sponge grounds in the Mediterranean Sea: a case study in southern Italy

et al. 2011

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Mediterranean spongofauna is relatively well-known for habitats shallower than 100 m, but, differently from oceanic basins, information upon diversity and functional role of sponge grounds inhabiting deep environments is much more fragmentary. Aims of this article are to characterize through ROV image analysis the population structure of the sponge assemblages found in two deep habitats of the Mediterranean Sea and to test their structuring role, mainly focusing on the demosponges Pachastrella monilifera Schmidt, 1868 and Poecillastra compressa (Bowerbank, 1866). In both study sites, the two target sponge species constitute a mixed assemblage. In the Amendolara Bank (Ionian Sea), where P. compressa is the most abundant species, sponges extend on a peculiar tabular bedrock between 120 and 180 m depth with an average total abundance of 7.3 ± 1.1 specimens m -2 (approximately 230 gWW m -2 of biomass). In contrast, the deeper assemblage of Bari Canyon (average total abundance 10.0 ± 0.7 specimens m -2 , approximately 315 gWW m -2 of biomass), located in the southwestern Adriatic Sea between 380 and 500 m depth, is dominated by P. monilifera mixed with living colonies of the scleractinian Madrepora oculata Linnaeus, 1758, the latter showing a total biomass comparable to that of sponges (386 gWW m -2 ). Due to their erect growth habit, these sponges contribute to create complex three-dimensional habitats in otherwise homogenous environments exposed to high sedimentation rates and attract numerous species of mobile invertebrates (mainly echinoderms) and fish. Sponges themselves may represent a secondary substrate for a specialized associated fauna, such zoanthids. As demonstrated in oceanic environments sponge beds support also in the Mediterranean Sea locally rich biodiversity levels. Sponges emerge also as important elements of benthic-pelagic coupling in these deep habitats. In fact, while exploiting the suspended organic matter, about 20% of the Bari sponge assemblage is also severely affected by cidarid sea urchin grazing, responsible to cause visible damages to the sponge tissues (an average of 12.1 ± 1.8 gWW of individual biomass removed by grazing). Hence, in deep-sea ecosystems, not only the coral habitats, but also the grounds of massive sponges Guest editors: M. Maldonado, X. Turon, M. A. Becerro & M. J. Uriz / Ancient animals, new challenges: developments in sponge research

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of deep sponge grounds in the Mediterranean Sea: a case study in southern Italy

et al. 2011

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Pachylasma giganteum (Philippi, 1836), Strait of Messina to off W. Africa, facultative with Errina aspera (L.), at shelf break, 150–200 m (Darwin 1854, Zibrowius 1981, Fredj and Giermann 1982, Di Geronimo and Fredj 1987, Zibrowius and Cairns 1992, Foster and Buckeridge 1995, Salvati et al 2010). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Southern hemisphere deep-water stylasterid corals including a new species, Errina labrosa sp. n. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Stylasteridae), with notes on some symbiotic scalpellids (Cirripedia, Thoracica, Scalpellidae)

Pica¹,

Cairns²,

Puce³

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A number of stylasterid corals are known to act as host species and create refuges for a variety of mobile and sessile organisms, which enhances their habitat complexity. These include annelids, anthozoans, cirripeds, copepods, cyanobacteria, echinoderms, gastropods, hydroids and sponges. Here we report the first evidence of a diverse association between stylasterids and scalpellid pedunculate barnacles and describe a new stylasterid species, Errina labrosa, from the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago. Overall, five stylasterid species are found to host eight scalpellid barnacles from several biogeographic regions in the southern hemisphere (Southern Ocean, temperate South America and the southern Indo-Pacific realms). There is an apparent lack of specificity in this kind of association and different grades of reaction to the symbiosis have been observed in the coral. These records suggest that the association between pedunculate barnacles and hard stylasterid corals has a wide distribution among different biogeographic realms and that it is relatively rare and confined largely to deep water.

show abstract

“…The hydrocoral Errina aspera (Linnaeus, 1767) can also be included in the CWCs sensu lato, because it is an habitat-former species of the mesophotic and the upper aphotic zones, where it can occasionally form monospecific stands showing high densities and being similar to CWC habitats [56].…”

Section: Ecosystem Goods and Services Provided By The Mesophotic And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesophotic and Deep-Sea Vulnerable Coral Habitats of the Mediterranean Sea: Overview and Conservation Perspectives

Chimienti¹,

Mastrototaro²,

D’Onghia³

2020

Advances in the Studies of the Benthic Zone

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although the different communities distributed in the mesophotic and deep waters play a fundamental role in the functioning of the marine ecosystems, the assessment of their global distribution is still far to be achieved. This is also true in the Mediterranean Sea, where exploration technologies are revealing a large diversity of unknown communities structured totally or partially by corals, which represent vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) according to FAO's guidelines. This chapter aims to define and describe the main coral habitats of the mesophotic and aphotic zones of the Mediterranean, such as coralligenous formations, cold-water coral frameworks, coral forests and sea pen fields. The role of these habitats in providing benefit for a variety of invertebrates and fishes as well as a suite of ecosystem goods and services is highlighted. Fishing is one of the main anthropogenic impacts affecting Mediterranean coral habitats, and the current conservation measures are often ineffective. Ongoing attempts and future solutions aiming at the conservation of these VMEs are here discussed, including the fishing restriction in strategic areas characterized by lush coral communities, the implementation of controls against illegal fishery, the development of encounter protocols for vulnerable species and the use of observers onboard.

show abstract

The population of Errina aspera (Hydrozoa: Stylasteridae) of the Messina Strait (Mediterranean Sea)

Cited by 33 publications

References 14 publications

Role of deep sponge grounds in the Mediterranean Sea: a case study in southern Italy

Role of deep sponge grounds in the Mediterranean Sea: a case study in southern Italy

Southern hemisphere deep-water stylasterid corals including a new species, Errina labrosa sp. n. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Stylasteridae), with notes on some symbiotic scalpellids (Cirripedia, Thoracica, Scalpellidae)

Mesophotic and Deep-Sea Vulnerable Coral Habitats of the Mediterranean Sea: Overview and Conservation Perspectives

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About