Spongivore ecology in the Turkish seas: Notes on the first in-situ record of Umbraculum umbraculum ([Lightfoot], 1786) on Demosponge Calyx nicaeensis (Risso, 1826) populations from the mesophotic depths of Bozcaada (Aegean Sea, Türkiye)
Özalp, H.B.; Evcen, A. (2025). Spongivore ecology in the Turkish seas: Notes on the first in-situ record of Umbraculum umbraculum ([Lightfoot], 1786) on Demosponge Calyx nicaeensis (Risso, 1826) populations from the mesophotic depths of Bozcaada (Aegean Sea, Türkiye). Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 31(2): 130-141
In: Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment. Turkish Marine Research Foundation: Istanbul. ISSN 1304-9550, meer
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| Author keywords |
Spongivory, sponge, Çanakkale Strait, Bozcaada, Gökçeada, Aegean Sea |
| Abstract |
The diversity and ecological importance of sea slugs (Heterobranchia) in the Turkish seas are largely unknown. This is particularly true for spongivorous invertebrates, whose roles in these ecosystems remain uninvestigated. These taxa, although often overlooked, play important roles in shaping benthic communities through selective predation on sponge species. The aim of this study is to contribute to the knowledge of spongivore ecology in the eastern Mediterranean by documenting the first in-situ observations of the rare heterobranch Umbraculum umbraculum feeding on the demosponges Calyx nicaeensis and Suberites domuncula at mesophotic depths around Bozcaada Island (Aegean Sea, Türkiye) and the Çanakkale Strait. This finding reveals a highly specialized predator-prey interaction and extends the known distribution of U. umbraculum in the region. By providing novel ecological data from an understudied depth zone and taxonomic group, this study underscores the importance of incorporating spongivorous species into broader benthic biodiversity assessments. |
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