Journal
DIVERSITY-BASEL
Volume 12, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/d12060223
Keywords
spatio-temporal pattern; crabs; diversity; maerl; Atlantic Ocean; Canary Islands
Categories
Funding
- Excellence International Campus of the Canary Islands (CEI-Canarias)
- Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society of the Canary Islands
- EcoAqua European project (ERA CHAIR program) [621341]
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Crustaceans are a key component of the fauna living in rhodoliths, but patterns in their distribution and abundance remain largely unknown. This paper assessed spatio-temporal variability of Brachyura associated with rhodoliths. A seasonal study was conducted at three depth layers (18, 25, and 40 m), throughout two years (December 2015 to October 2017) at Gran Canaria Island (eastern Atlantic Ocean). A total of 765 crabs belonging to 10 species were collected. A larger abundance and richness of crabs at 25 m correlated with a larger biomass of epiphytic algae attached to rhodoliths. A seasonal pattern was also observed, where a higher richness of crabs occurred in the summer. The Xanthid crab,Nanocassiope melanodactylus,dominated the assemblage (83%); juveniles of this species were more abundant in deeper waters (40 m), while adults were more abundant on the shallower depth layers (18 m and 25 m). The speciesPilmunushirtelluswas restricted to 25 m. Nevertheless,Pisa carinimanaandAchaeuscranchiidid not show any spatio-temporal pattern. In summary, this study demonstrated that two conspicuous crabs,N. melanodactylusandP. hirtellus, associated with rhodolith beds are bathymetrically segregated.
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