Epibiont hydroids on beachcast Sargassum in the Mexican Caribbean

PeerJ

article

María A. Mendoza-Becerril¹  Elisa Serviere-Zaragoza²  Alejandra Mazariegos-Villarreal²  Crisalejandra Rivera-Perez¹  Dale R. Calder³  Erika F. Vázquez-Delfín⁵  Yolanda Freile-Pelegrín⁵  José Agüero⁶  Daniel Robledo⁵ 

[1] CONACyT;Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste;Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum;Royal British Columbia Museum;Applied Phycology Laboratory;Medusozoa México

关键词: Caribbean Sea;    Epibionts;    Hydrozoa;    Macroalgae;    Medusozoa;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.9795

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Massive accumulations of pelagic species of Sargassum have generated recent social, economic and ecological problems along Caribbean shores. In the Mexican Caribbean, these events have prompted the study of diverse biological and ecological aspects of these macroalgae. However, studies on their associated biota, including Hydrozoa, remain scarce. This research provides important species observations in an area where data is lacking. The occurrence and percent cover of hydroids on Sargassum thalli collected on the beach at Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico from April 2018 to March 2019 was studied. Three pelagic species and morphotypes of Sargassum from this area were analyzed: Sargassum fluitans III, S. natans I and S. natans VIII, as well as a benthic species, S. polyceratium var. ovatum. A total of 14 taxa of hydroids, belonging to the superorders “Anthoathecata” and Leptothecata, were identified. In our study, more hydroid taxa were observed on axes of the different species of Sargassum than on leaves or aerocysts. In general, the greatest species richness of hydroids was observed from February to April. Results show that live hydrozoans attached to pelagic Sargassum are transported into the area. This should be considered in future management measures that address the recurring coastal abundance of Sargassum and its associated biota in the Caribbean region.

【 授权许可】

CC BY