Click
here to close Hello! We notice that
you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Echinobase
and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a
current version of Chrome,
FireFox,
or Safari.
Species and size diversity in protective services offered by coral guard-crabs.
McKeon CS
,
Moore JM
.
???displayArticle.abstract???
Coral guard-crabs in the genus Trapezia are well-documented defenders of their pocilloporid coral hosts against coral predators such as the Crown-of-Thorns seastar (Acanthaster planci complex). The objectives of this study were to examine the protective services of six species of Trapezia against corallivory, and the extent of functional diversity among these Trapezia species. Studies conducted in Mo''orea, French Polynesia showed the Trapezia-coral mutualism protected the host corals from multiple predators through functional diversity in the assemblage of crab symbionts. Species differed in their defensive efficacy, but species within similar size classes shared similar abilities. Smaller-size Trapezia species, which were previously thought to be ineffective guards, play important defensive roles against small corallivores. We also measured the benefits of this mutualism to corals in the midst of an Acanthaster outbreak that reduced the live coral cover on the fore reef to less than 4%. The mutualism may positively affect the reef coral demography and potential for recovery during adverse predation events through shelter of multiple species of small corals near the host coral. Our results show that while functional diversity is supported within the genus, some Trapezia species may be functionally equivalent within the same size class, decreasing the threat of gaps in coral protection caused by absence or replacement of any single Trapezia species.
Figure 1. Percentage of coral tissue volume proxy consumed by Drupella cornus in corals hosting the small size-class of Trapezia serenei and Trapezia punctimanus.Letters indicate post-hoc statistically significant differences between groups.
Figure 2. Percentage of coral tissue volume proxy consumed by Culcita novaeguineae in corals hosting the large size-class of Trapezia bidentata and Trapezia serenei.Letters indicate post-hoc statistically significant differences between groups.
Figure 3. Examples of corals sheltered by living Pocillopora eydouxi and Trapezia flavopunctata.
Addicott,
Variation in the costs and benefits of mutualism: the interaction between yuccas and yucca moths.
1986, Pubmed
Addicott,
Variation in the costs and benefits of mutualism: the interaction between yuccas and yucca moths.
1986,
Pubmed
Baskett,
Symbiont diversity may help coral reefs survive moderate climate change.
2009,
Pubmed
Bracken,
Whole-community mutualism: associated invertebrates facilitate a dominant habitat-forming seaweed.
2007,
Pubmed
Combosch,
Interspecific hybridization and restricted trans-Pacific gene flow in the Tropical Eastern Pacific Pocillopora.
2008,
Pubmed
Del-Claro,
Conditional outcomes in a neotropical treehopper-ant association: temporal and species-specific variation in ant protection and homopteran fecundity.
2000,
Pubmed
Glynn,
Defense by symbiotic crustacea of host corals elicited by chemical cues from predator.
1980,
Pubmed
,
Echinobase
Leibold,
Coexistence of the niche and neutral perspectives in community ecology.
2006,
Pubmed
McKeon,
Multiple defender effects: synergistic coral defense by mutualist crustaceans.
2012,
Pubmed
,
Echinobase
Morris,
Direct and interactive effects of enemies and mutualists on plant performance: a meta-analysis.
2007,
Pubmed
Pratchett,
Selective coral mortality associated with outbreaks of Acanthaster planci L. in Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea.
2009,
Pubmed
,
Echinobase
Schemske,
Variation among floral visitors in pollination ability: a precondition for mutualism specialization.
1984,
Pubmed
Stachowicz,
DIVERSITY ENHANCES COVER AND STABILITY OF SEAWEED ASSEMBLAGES: THE ROLE OF HETEROGENEITY AND TIME.
2008,
Pubmed
Vogler,
A threat to coral reefs multiplied? Four species of crown-of-thorns starfish.
2008,
Pubmed
,
Echinobase