The rediscovery of Rosalinda incrustans (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The present note reports a new record of Rosalinda incrustans (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) since its last reliable record in the Mediterranean Sea in 1958. Several colonies were recorded on the spider crab Anamathia rissoana off the Balearic Islands. The taxonomic history of R. incrustans, considered a putatively extinct species in a recent paper, is reviewed.

Isidella elongata (Cnidaria: Alcyonacea) facies in the western Mediterranean Sea: visual surveys and descriptions of its ecological role

“…In both areas, muddy-bottom species were also observed such as the Ceriantharia Pachycerianthus dohrni (Van Beneden, 1923) ( Figure 5(i)) and the sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis (Pallas, 1766) ( Figure 5(m)), while the sea pens Protoptilum carpenteri Kölliker, 1872 and Pennatula phosphorea Linnaeus, 1758 were observed in the untrawled and trawled areas, respectively (Figure 5(l) and (n)). Moreover, as already reported by Mastrototaro et al (2016), several colonies of the hydroid Rosalinda incrustans (Kramp, 1947) were observed as epibionts on the carapace's dorsal spines of the decapod Anamathia rissoana (Roux, 1828) ( Figure 5(j) and (k)). Some Caryophylliidae corals colonised the submarine cable present in the area (Figure 3(e)).…”

“…Despite the hydroid R. incrustans being considered a typical epibiont on the carapace of A. rissoana (Vervoort 1966), it was recently reported as a missed species in the Mediterranean Sea (Gravili et al 2015). Therefore, its occurrence here is the first documented finding of the species since 1958 (Bouillon et al 1995;Mastrototaro et al 2016).…”

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

“…In fact, some recent new records of deep-sea invertebrates in the Mediterranean Sea occurred within I. elongata populations [70][71][72]. Among the suite of ecosystem goods and services that these habitats provide ( Table 1), they are known to act as refuge, feeding, spawning and nursery areas for many associated species, including species of commercial value [69,[73][74][75].…”

Revision of the deep-water spider crab genus, Scyramathia A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, with the description of a new species from the Mediterranean and notes on Rochinia A. Milne-Edwards, 1875, and Anamathia Smith, 1885 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Epialtidae)

“…There are studies that report the prezoea and first zoea stage morphology for A. rissoana (Guerao and Abelló 1996), as well as the size of the species at sexual maturity (Mura et al 2005). This species has been noted to be associated with bamboo coral, Isidella elongata (Esper, 1788) (see Maynou and Cartes 2012;Cartes et al 2013;Mastrototaro et al 2017), and black coral, L. glaberrima (see Bo et al 2015), and typically with the hydroid epibiont, Rosalinda incrustans (Kramp, 1947), on its carapace (Kramp 1947;Vervoort 1966;Mastrototaro et al 2016). This species was also recently observed to have R. incrustans on its pseudorostral spines and climbing on colonies of I. elongata to catch small prey (Mastrototaro et al 2017: 217, figs 5j, k, 6j-n).…”