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Asteroids and Ophiuroids Associated With Sponge Aggregations as a Key to Marine Habitats. A Comparative Analysis Between Avilés Canyons System and El Cachucho, Marine Protected Area

Authors :
Aurora Macías-Ramírez
Javier Cristobo
Pilar Ríos
Laura María García-Guillén
Teodoro P. Ibarrola
Maria Eugenia Manjón-Cabeza
Francisco Javier Alejandre Sánchez
Augusto Rodríguez-Basalo
Source :
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 7 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Frontiers Media SA, 2021.

Abstract

This study analyzes the fauna composition of the community of brittle and sea stars associated with sponge aggregations located in Avilés Canyons System and El Cachucho, Marine Protected Area (MPA). Diverse sampling methods were used depending on bottom morphology, such as rock dredges and specific samplers for sedimentary bottoms, mainly beam trawl models. These banks are made up of sponge and coral species that build a very appropriate substrate for the proliferation of benthic species, which together create Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems that are highly relevant for management and conservation. Among these benthic species, echinoderms are of great interest due to their value as indicators of good habitat. In total, 1261 specimens were collected (934 brittle stars and 327 starfishes), belonging to 42 species (28 ophiuroids and 14 asteroids) from INDEMARES AVILÉS, ECOMARG, and SponGES project surveys. Specimens were distributed among four sponge aggregations (F: fields) that were considered according to the sponge records obtained in the same stations (36). These fields were defined and named based on the five most common sponge species:Aphrocallistes beatrixandRegadrella phoenix(F1: Avilés Canyon);Pheronema carpenteri(F2: Intraslope basin of Le Danois Bank);Asconema setubalense(F3: Le Danois Bank); andNeoschrammeniellaaff.bowerbankii(F4: Corbiro Canyon). Faunistic results show thatOphiactis abyssicola(55.55% occurrence),Brisinga endecacnemos, Ophiolycus purpureus, andPeltaster placenta(33.33%) were the most frequently found species in F1;Psilaster andromeda(80%),Pseudarchaster parelii(60%), andNymphaster arenatus(46.67%) in F2;Ophiura carnea(71.43%) andOphiacantha smitti(42.86%) in F3; andOphiacantha densa, andHenricia caudani(100%) in F4. The asteroid and ophiuroid species collected seem to be composed of four different communities that fit to areas with particular morphological and biological features, related to the presence of species specialized in the use of the resources they can find there. In general, the abiotic factor controlling this structure is depth. This assemblage structure, which favors the dissimilarity between the canyons and the bank, is not so clear, since the deepest stations are located on the intraslope basin of El Cachucho, Marine Protected Area (MPA), therefore, using ita prioricould lead to misunderstandings. Once the structure of the echinoderm community was known, we compared the expected and obtained results to analyze evidence which should prove the existence of any association between echinoderms and sponges, which enabled us to refute the incongruous hypothesis.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22967745
Volume :
7
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Frontiers in Marine Science
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....dadc1a5f22eda7ab75d43fa6fff1e1b8
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.606749