Association between the polychaete Procerastea halleziana (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Autolytinae) and the hydroid Tubularia crocea (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the Mar del Plata intertidal zone, Argentina
Genzano, G.N.; San Martín, G. (2002). Association between the polychaete Procerastea halleziana (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Autolytinae) and the hydroid Tubularia crocea (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the Mar del Plata intertidal zone, Argentina. Cah. Biol. Mar. 43(2): 165-170
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723; e-ISSN 2262-3094, more
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| Keywords |
Taxa > Species > Associated species
Procerastea halleziana Malaquin, 1893 [WoRMS]
PSW, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Genzano, G.N.
- San Martín, G.
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| Abstract |
Clumps of the hydroid Tubularia crocea (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Anthomedusae) are substrata for many epizoites, among them many species of polychaetes. The most frequently encountered species of polychaete in Tubularia clumps in Mar del Plata (Argentina) is the syllid Procerastea halleziana. The main aim of this study was to analyse the annual frequency and abundance of this polychaete associated with colonies of the tubularid in that area and to describe this species, new to Argentina and the Southern Hemisphere. Procerastea halleziana was frequent on Tubularia crocea, with maximum prevalences at the end of summer and the beginning of fall (March-April = 53.8-58.3% of the colonies are associated with the polychaete) and minimum in winter (August = 23.5%). The highest abundances were found during the warm season, but abundances were always low. The polychaetes live inside membranous tubes, which are attached along the stems of the colony. They were observed to feed by piercing the wall of hydranths and this relationship appears to be a kind of contramensalism, + -, with negative effects on the colonies. |
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