Food and habitat choice in the spider crab Leucippa pentagona (Majoidea: Epialtidae) in Bahía Bustamante, Patagonia, Argentina

Authors

  • Martin Varisco Instituto de Desarrollo Costero, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
  • Lucas Martín Laboratorio de Ficología y Micología, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina
  • Héctor Zaixso Instituto de Desarrollo Costero, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
  • Cecilia Velasquez Instituto de Desarrollo Costero, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
  • Julio Vinuesa Instituto de Desarrollo Costero, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.04060.29B

Keywords:

Leucippa pentagona, Gracilaria gracilis, microhabitat, subtidal beds, epiphyte consumption, Sphacelariales

Abstract


The aim of the present study was to analyse the feeding strategy and spatial distribution of the spider crab Leucippa pentagona in Bahía Bustamante (Patagonia, Argentina). Several microhabitat variables that could influence the spatial distribution of this crab were related to its different life stages by using redundancy analysis. Regarding its feeding preferences, we found that the sphacelariales Halopteris spp. and Sphacelaria fusca, epiphytes of the alga Gracilaria gracilis, represented over 70% of its diet. Conversely, consumption of G. gracilis was low throughout the year. These feeding preferences can be related to the higher proportion of ash-free dry mass of sphacelariales. A close association was observed between G. gracilis biomass and recruits and mature crabs; this relationship was stronger at critical periods of the crab’s life cycle such as incubation or moult. Intermolt juveniles were related to G. gracilis0 as well as to other species of macroalgae. Our results suggest that G. gracilis plays a key role in the small-scale distribution of L. pentagona in Bahía Bustamante, providing food and shelter. The consumption of G. gracilis epiphytes allows L. pentagona to maintain high foraging rates at safe living sites, minimizing the damage to G. gracilis.

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Published

2015-03-30

How to Cite

1.
Varisco M, Martín L, Zaixso H, Velasquez C, Vinuesa J. Food and habitat choice in the spider crab Leucippa pentagona (Majoidea: Epialtidae) in Bahía Bustamante, Patagonia, Argentina. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2015Mar.30 [cited 2024Mar.28];79(1):107-16. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1567

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