Trophic relationships of hydrothermal vent and non-vent communities in the upper sublittoral and upper bathyal zones off Kueishan Island, Taiwan: a combined morphological, gut content analysis and stable isotope approach

Dietary analysis on the shallow-water hydrothermal vent crab Xenograpsus testudinatus using Illumina sequencing

“…Based on Illumina sequencing, we found a diverse assemblage of prey in the gut and stomach contents of X. testudinatus, suggesting that the crab is an omnivorous scavenger. Free-living bacteria such as cyanobacteria and soil bacteria were found in the gut and stomach contents of X. testudinatus, and these microorganisms could represent an important source of nutrient for X. testudinatus as suggested by Wang et al (2014). By comparing the prokaryotic microbiota of X. testudinatus to that of P. bidens, it can be concluded that the prokaryotic microbiota in crab may be species-specific.…”

“…Jeng et al (2004) reported that marine snow is the main food of X. testudinatus. Using isotopic analysis, Wang et al (2014) proposed that X. testudinatus may feed on multiple food sources including bacteria, phytodetritus, and bivalves. By using PCR-based methods, it is expected that more detailed information on the diet of X. testudinatus can be obtained.…”

“…Both eukaryotic and prokaryotic prey were targeted because X. testudinatus has been described as an opportunistic scavenger with a diverse diet (Jeng et al 2004;Wang et al 2014). For eukaryotic prey, the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene was amplified using the universal primers ER1 (5′-GACTACGACGGTATCTRATCRTCTTCG-3′) and 3ndf (5′-GGCAAGTCTGGTGCCAG-3′) (Bråte et al 2010).…”

“…Several endemic species of decapods, bivalves, and sea anemones live in the hydrothermal vents of Kueishan Island (Lemaitre 2004;Ng et al 2007;Lin et al 2007; Komai and Chan 2010;Wang et al 2014). Information on their diets is essential to understanding the ecology and evolution of hydrothermal vent organisms.…”

Distribution and sexual dimorphism of the crab Xenograpsus testudinatus from the hydrothermal vent field of Kueishan Island, northeastern Taiwan

“…Specimens of this crab were firstly discovered from fishery bycatches [14]. Later there were several related research reports on it, such as on its detoxification mechanism [17], bioaccumulation of trace metals [22], metabolic energy demands, and food utilization [23], feeding [24][25], selective behavior [26], role in the trophic structure [27][28], and reproduction [28]. However, although this species has been exploited during two decades, the in situ distribution pattern and many aspects of biology of this crab in the hydrothermal vent area has not been understood.…”