Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Population dynamics of two caprellid species (Crustaceae: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) from shallow hard bottom assemblages

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biodiversity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The community structure of caprellids associated with shallow hard bottom assemblages was studied in four locations around Pagasitikos Gulf, western coast of the Aegean Sea. Samplings were carried out every 3 months from April 2009 to April 2010. Samples were collected by scraping off the hard substrate, using 400-cm2 handmade quadrate samplers. Water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen and sea current velocity were measured in situ. Two caprellid species were found, Caprella acanthifera and Phtisica marina, with a clear dominance of C. acanthifera at all locations. The abundance of both species followed a seasonal pattern with a peak in spring or summer and a decline in winter. Lower abundances were detected at the locations with high current velocity and higher abundances at the locations with low water flow speed. This is an indication that the species might prefer areas with low hydrodynamism. Strong sexual dimorphism in body size was observed for both species, and the sex ratio was 1:1 throughout the samplings. It appears that reproduction for both species is continuous throughout the year, with a possible major breeding event in winter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Antoniadou C, Chintiroglou C (2007) Zoobenthos associated with the invasive red alga Womersleyella setacea(Rhodomelacea) in the northern Aegean Sea. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 87:629–641. doi:10.1017/S0025315407048151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boos K (2009) Mechanisms of a successful immigration from north-east Asia: population dynamics, life history traits and interspecific interactions in the caprellid amphipod Caprella mutica Schurin 1935 (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in European coastal waters. PhD thesis, Freie Universität Berlin

  • Boos K, Ashton GV, Cook EJ (2011) The Japanese skeleton shrimp Caprella mutica (Crustacea, Amphipoda): a global invader of coastal waters. In: Galil BS, Clack PF, Carlton JS (eds) In the wrong place - alien marine crustaceans: distribution, biology and impacts. Springer, Berlin, pp 129–156. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0591-3_4

  • Braun-Blanket J (1932) Plant sociology; the study of plant communities; authorized English translation of Pflanzensoziologie, by Dr. J. Braun-Blanquet. (Trans, revised and edited: Fuller GD and Conard HS). McGraw-Hill, New York

  • Caine EA (1979) Functions of swimming setae within caprellid amphipods (Crustacea). Biol Bull 156:169–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caine EA (1991a) Caprellid amphipods: fast food for the reproductively active. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 148:27–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caine EA (1991b) Reproductive behavior and sexual dimorphism of a caprellid amphipod. J Crustac Biol 11:56–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chavanich S, Viyakarn V, Park HS (2010) Amphipods associated with codium species in Korea. Crustaceana 83:795–807. doi:10.1163/001121610X504306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chintiroglou C, Koukouras A (1992) A population of the sea anemone Anemonia viridis (Főrskal, 1775) and its associated flora and fauna, in the North Aegean Sea. Int Rev Ges Hydrobiol 77:483–495. doi:10.1002/iroh.19920770311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çinar ME, Katagan T, Öztürk B, Egemen O, Ergen Z, Kocatas A, Önen M, Kirkim F, Bakir K, Kurt G, Dagli E, Kaymakçi A, Açik S, Dogan A, Özcan T (2006) Temporal changes of soft-bottom zoobenthic communities in and around Alsancak Harbor (Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea), with special attention to the autecology of exotic species. Mar Ecol 27:229–246. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.2006.00102.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conradi M, López-González PJ, García-Gómez C (1997) The amphipod community as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Iberian Peninsula) based on a spatio-temporal distribution. Mar Ecol 18:97–111. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.1997.tb00430.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edgar GJ (1983) The ecology of south-east Tasmanian phytalanimal communities. I. Spatial organization on a localscale. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 70:129–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM (2001) Habitat use of the caprellidea (crustacea: Amphipoda) from ceuta, North Africa. Ophelia 55:27–38. doi:10.1080/00785236.2001.10409471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM, Corzo J, García-Asencio I, García-Gomez JC (2000) Seasonal fluctuations of Phtisica marina Slabber (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidea) in estuarine zone of Southwest Spain. Pol Arch Hydrobiol 47:527–531

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM, García-Gomez JC (2001) The spatial distribution of caprellidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda): a stress bioindicator in Ceuta (North Africa, Gibraltar Area). Mar Ecol 22:357–367. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0485.2001.01757.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM, Izquierdo D (2010) Caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) associated with the intertidal alga Corallina elongata along the Iberian Peninsula. Mar Biodivers Rec. doi:10.1017/S1755267210000382

  • Guerra-García JM, Ros M, Gordillo I, Cabezas MP, Baeza-Rojano E, Izquierdo D, Corzo J, Domínguez J, Varona S (2010) Distribution patterns of intertidal and shallow water caprellids associated with macroalgae along the Iberian Peninsula. Zool Baet 21:101–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM, Takeuchi I (2002) The Caprellidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Ceuta, North Africa, with the description of three species of Caprella, a key to the species of Caprella, and biogeographical discussion. J Nat Hist 36:675–713. doi:10.1080/00222930010025923

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra-García JM, Tierno de Figueroa JM (2009) What do caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) feed on? Mar Biol 156:1881–1890. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1220-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guinda X, Juanes JA, Puente A, Echavarri-Erasun B (2012) Spatial distribution pattern analysis of subtidal macroalgae assemblages by a non-destructive rapid assessment method. J Sea Res 67:34–43. doi:10.1016/j.seares.2011.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (1992) Cause and consequences of dietary specialization in surfperches: patch choice and intraspecific competition. Ecol 73:402–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keith DE (1971) Substrate selection in caprellid amphipods of Southern California, with emphasis on caprella californica stimpson and caprella equilibra say (amphipoda). Pac Sci 25:387–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox MA, Hogg ID, Pilditch CA, Lörz AN, Nodder SD (2012) Abundance and diversity of epibenthic amphipods (Crustacea) from contrasting bathyal habitats. Deep-Sea Res I Oceanogr Res Pap 62(1):1–9. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2011.12.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krapp-Schickel T, Vader W (1998) What is, and what is not, Caprella acanthifera Leach, 1814 (Amphipoda, Caprellidae)? Part 1: the acanthifera-group. J Nat Hist 32:949–967. doi:10.1080/00222939800770491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez J, Adarraga I (2008) First record of invasive caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 sensu lato (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) from the Iberian Peninsula. Aquat Invas 3:165–171. doi:10.3391/ai.2008.3.2.6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohji M, Takeuchi I, Takahashi S, Tanabe S, Miyazaki N (2002) Differences in the acutetoxicities of tributyltin between the Caprellidae and the Gammaridea (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Mar Pollut Bull 44:16–24. doi:10.1016/S0025-326X(01)00146-1

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olive PJW (1995) Annual breeding cycles in marine invertebrates and environmental temperature: probing the proximate and ultimate causes of reproductive synchrony. J Therm Biol 20:79–90. doi:10.1016/0306-4565(94)00030-M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petihakis G, Triantafyllou G, Pollani A, Kolliou A, Theodorou A (2005) Field data analysis and application of a complex water column biogeochemical model in different areas of a semi-enclosed basin: towards the development of an ecosystem management tool. Mar Environ Res 59:493–518. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2004.07.004

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider CA, Rasband WS, Eliceiri KW (2012) NIH image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis. Nat Methods 9:671–675. doi:10.1038/nmeth.2089

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stefanidou D, Voultsiadou-Koukoura E (1995) An account of our knowledge of the amphipod fauna of the Aegean Sea. Crustaceana 68:597–615

    Google Scholar 

  • Sturaro N, Guerra-García JM (2012) A new species of Caprella (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Mediterranean Sea. Helgol Mar Res 66:33–42. doi:10.1007/s10152-011-0244-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thom R, Miller B, Kennedy M (1995) Temporal patterns of grazers and vegetation in a temperate seagrass system. Aquat Bot 50:201–205. doi:10.1016/0304-3770(95)00449-A

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirtz P (1998) Caprellid (Crustacea) – holothurian (Echinodermata) associations in the Azores. Life Mar Sci 16:53–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Woods CMC (2009) Caprellid amphipods: an overlooked marine finfish aquaculture. Aquaculture 289:199–211. doi:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2009.01.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Zenetos A, Vassilopoulou V, Salomidi M, Poursanidis D (2007) Additions to the marine alien fauna of Greek waters (2007 update). Mar Biodivers Rec. doi:10.1017/S1755267207009281

Download references

Acknowledgments

This paper is part of a PhD dissertation that will be submitted to the Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly. The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments, which contributed to the improvement of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

    Alexios Lolas & Dimitris Vafidis

Authors
  1. Alexios Lolas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dimitris Vafidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexios Lolas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lolas, A., Vafidis, D. Population dynamics of two caprellid species (Crustaceae: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) from shallow hard bottom assemblages. Mar Biodiv 43, 227–236 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-013-0149-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-013-0149-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation