Volume 7, Manuscript ID es20240009, p. 01-07, 2024

Doi: https://doi.org/10.32435/envsmoke-2024-0009

Environmental Smoke, e-ISSN: 2595-5527

 

“A leading multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal”

 

Full Article:

 

REPORT OF COMMENSAL INTERACTION BETWEEN Lepas (Lepas) anatifera LINNAEUS, 1758 (CIRRIPEDIA: LEPADIDAE) AND Stenocionops furcatus (OLIVIER, 1791) (DECAPODA: EPIALTIDAE), COLLECTED IN A MARINE PROTECTED AREA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

 

Jonata de Arruda Francisco1* (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7607-6904); Alessandra Rodrigues Pessoa1 (https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8252-6157); Érika Santos1 (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9721-3007); Anne Karolline Costa1 (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1681-6851); Leonardo Tortoriello Messias1 (https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2438-0665); Iara Braga Sommer1 (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3847-0924)

 

1CEPENE – Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação da Biodiversidade Marinha do Nordeste, ICMBio – Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Tamandaré, Pernambuco, Brasil.

 

*Corresponding author: jonatafrancisco@gmail.com

 

Submitted on: 04 Oct. 2024

Accepted on: 26 Oct. 2024

Published on: 22 Nov. 2024

 

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

Abstract

We report the first documented occurrence worldwide of the goose barnacle Lepas (Lepas) anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 as an epibiont on the furcate spider crab Stenocionops furcatus. A male furcate spider crab was collected at a depth of 100 meters off the coast of Pernambuco, Brazil. We observed five individuals of L. (Lepas) anatifera attached to the crab, representing a new commensal association. This finding improves knowledge about marine biodiversity and highlights the dispersal potential of L. (Lepas) anatifera. It also emphasizes the importance of monitoring epibiotic interactions to assess their effects on host organisms. Further research is recommended to explore the ecological implications and adaptive strategies of this relationship.

 

Keywords: Goose barnacle. Crustacean interaction. Marine biodiversity. Epibiosis. Tamandaré beach.

 

1 Introduction

 

In marine environments, the most common biological interaction is represented by commensalism, which corresponds to an ecological relationship between two species, where the epibiont benefits without significantly affecting the host basibiont (DOMÈNECH et al., 2015; ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022; DVORETSKY; DVORETSKY, 2022).

 

Epibiosis is widely observed in commensalism, with the epibiont using temporarily or definitely the host's body for its biological relationships (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010). The epibiosis can be performed for several groups, including hydrozoans, bryozoans, nemerteans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks and crustaceans (including amphipods, barnacles, copepods and decapods), and these groups have been reported to cover a wide range of hosts (DVORETSKY; DVORETSKY, 2022; ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022).

 

The cosmopolitan cirripeds of the genus Lepas Linnaeus, 1758 occur in tropical and subtropical oceans and can be found on natural substrates, attaching to algae, driftwood (THIEL; GUTOW, 2005), fish (DULČIĆ et al., 2015), crocodiles (CUPUL-MAGAÑA et al., 2011), sea turtles (DOMÈNECH et al., 2015; TEN et al., 2019) and human bodies (MAGNI et al., 2015). However, the species Lepas (Lepas) anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 is predominantly reported attached to artificial substrates, such as bottles (THIEL; GUTOW, 2005), boats (FARRAPEIRA, 2010), buoys, microplastics (SCOTTI et al., 2023), tarballs (BÉRGAMO et al., 2023) and aircraft fragments (AL-QATTAN et al., 2023).

 

Despite its adhesion in marine organisms, the occurrence of the goose barnacle L. (Lepas) anatifera as epibiont in decapod crustaceans is sparse and occasionally registered (ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022; NOAA, 2024). The species L. (Lepas) anatifera can be found from surface to deep-sea and has been recorded at depths of up to 700 m (CONWAY; ELLIS; HUMPHERYES, 1990; MARTIN et al., 2020; LIN et al., 2022). It is widely distributed in Brazilian waters, with recorded occurrences in Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul, and also in the São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago (YOUNG, 1999; FARRAPEIRA, 2010; ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022).

 

In this context, the furcate spider crab Stenocionops furcatus (Olivier, 1791) (Epialtidae) is reported along the Brazilian continental shelf, from coastal zones up to 180 m deep, associated with adjacent areas of coral reefs in gravel seabeds (MELO, 1996). S. furcatus is known for attaching other organisms to its carapace (CUTRESS; ROSS; SUTTON, 1970). However, until now, there has been no record of L. (Lepas) anatifera associating with this basibiont. Here, we present the first recorded occurrence worldwide of L. (Lepas) anatifera as an epibiont on S. furcatus, collected offshore near Pernambuco, Brazil, marking a novel association that expands our understanding of epibiotic interactions in these species.

 

2 Material and Methods

 

S. furcatus specimen and its epibionts were captured as bycatch from artisanal fisheries using hook and line, off Tamandaré, State of Pernambuco (8°49'29.52"S; 34°46'57.03"W) Northwestern Brazil, in January 2024 (Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Map of the study area, A. Brazilian Northeast Coast. B. State of Pernambuco. C. Sampling point (red circle) on the continental slope off the city of Tamandaré. Access on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XfNJ72yiWs3ID1OUlBlK54aalhYG6Zg0/preview

 

The individuals were allocated in plastic bags, stored in a styrofoam box filled with ice, and transported to the laboratory of the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação da Biodiversidade Marinha do Nordeste - CEPENE/ICMBio [National Center for Research and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity of the Northeast]. In the laboratory, the specimens were sorted out, photographed and measured using a digital caliper (0.01 mm) in the Carapace Length (cl.), Carapace Width (cw.), Wet Weight (ww.) and the Capitulum Length (cpl.).

 

The furcate spider crab specimen was identified following Melo (1996), and the goose barnacles according to Young (1999). After the analysis, both species were fixed in 70% ethanol and deposited under voucher number at the Coleção Biológica do CEPENE - CBC (FRANCISCO et al., 2021).

 

3 Results and Discussion

 

Crustacean commensalism is well-documented (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010), with recent records of these relationships along the Brazilian coast (ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022). Here, we present a new interspecific record of commensalism worldwide, marking the first known occurrence of this association. Five individuals of L. (Lepas) anatifera were found colonizing a male specimen of S. furcatus (Voucher ID: CBC n° 554; cl.: 11 cm; cw.: 8.5 cm; ww.: 196 g, Figure 2).

 

Figure 2. The furcate spider crab Stenocionops furcatus (Olivier, 1791) with red arrows showing epibiotic Lepas (Lepas) anatifera Linnaeus, 1758. # = indicate the position of each goose barnacle individual aforementioned in this study. Scale bar = 5 cm. Access on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1meV3TKo23nJNKv4SWrqw0MTDRdUgoSRs/preview

 

According to the local fishermen (personal communication) these specimens were captured at around 100 m deep. The colonization by the goose barnacles occurred in various parts of the crab's body, with four individuals (cpl.: #1=6.1 mm; #3=5.1 mm; #4=5.9 mm; #5=6.0 mm) on the carapace and one (cpl.: #2=6.2 mm) on the cheliped (Figure 3 A-D).

 

Figure 3. A-D: A. Lepas (Lepas) anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 adhered in carapace of Stenocionops furcatus (Olivier, 1791) (high side). B. L. anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 adhered to the left cheliped; C. L. anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 adhered in carapace (left side); D. L. anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 adhered in carapace (left side).  # = indicate the position of each individual L. anatifera cited in the text. Access on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qemodVwdXxmfO0iqaUGnbyu18IaAIN4X/preview

 

According to Cutress, Ross and Sutton (1970), S. furcatus is observed decorating its body with organisms that act as epibionts, such as algae, anemones, sponges, and other invertebrates. Although Lepas is commonly observed as a commensal organism, there are few studies specifically documenting L. (Lepas) anatifera in epibiotic relationships with crustaceans.

 

Isolated records include Spinolambrus pourtalesii (Stimpson, 1871) collected on the continental shelf in the Great Amazon Reef System (GARS) at a depth of 76 meters (ALVES-JÚNIOR et al., 2022), and Chaceon spp. (Manning & Holthuis, 1989), observed at a depth of 740 meters on the North American Continental Margin (NOAA, 2024). Additionally, we report L. (Lepas) anatifera as an epibiont on S. furcatus on the Northeast Brazilian Continental Shelf at a depth of 100 meters. It is known that settled barnacles are considered pioneer species that facilitate the colonization of subsequent epibionts (FRICK; PFALLER, 2013), which may indicate that this could be an initial stage of colonization on the Decapoda organisms.

 

The negative effects on the basibiont include the additional weight from large infestations and friction with water, which affects the basibiont's mobility, potentially increasing the risk of predation due to difficulty escaping (OVERSTREET, 1979; FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010). Furthermore, when food resources are scarce, epibiosis results in high consumption of energy reserves, affecting basibiont defense, growth, or reproduction (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010). On the other hand, this epibiotic relationship can have a positive effect for the basibiont, as it provides visual camouflage (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010).

 

Due to the dispersion of the basibiont in marine environments, epibionts can gain several benefits, including low competition for substrates, greater larval dispersal and gene flow, increased availability of nutrients, and protection against predators (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010). However, the basibiont may experience adverse effects, such as exposure to environmental conditions outside its tolerance range, removal due to abrasion or during ecdysis and desiccation due to emersion in coastal regions. Fortunately, the facultative adhesion capability allows for temporary adjustments to the substrate, helping to mitigate these challenges (FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS, 2010; FRICK; PFALLER, 2013).

 

The presence of the species L. (Lepas) anatifera and S. furcatus at the depth of 100 meters falls within the known depth ranges for both species (CONWAY; ELLIS; HUMPHERYES, 1990; MELO, 1996; MARTIN et al., 2020; LIN et al., 2022).

 

The association of these goose barnacles with the furcate spider crab suggests a potential commensal phoresy relationship (WHITE; MORRAN; ROODE, 2017), similar to other epibiosis interactions already reported in the literature for cirripedes and other decapods species, such as Octolasmis lowei (Darwin, 1852) on carapaces of the spider crab Libinia spinosa Guérin, 1832 (CORDEIRO; COSTA 2010), and on Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 and Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 (MACHADO et al., 2013; SILVA-INÁCIO et al., 2016).

 

Other symbiotic interaction with Lepadidae family have also been reported on marine macrofauna, such as Lepas hilli (Leach, 1818) on the tripletail fish Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790) (DULČIĆ et al., 2015) and L. (Lepas) anatifera in sea turtles (MIGNUCCI-GIANNONI et al., 2022) which increases its potential for dispersal and cosmopolitan distribution (YOUNG, 1999).

 

4 Conclusions

 

We report here the first documentation of an epibiotic relationship between L. (Lepas) anatifera and S. furcatus on the northeastern continental shelf of Brazil, marking a new association observed worldwide.

 

The presence of L. (Lepas) anatifera on benthic crustaceans and other organisms underscores its significant potential for global dispersal, given its cosmopolitan distribution.

 

The observed interaction enhances our understanding of marine biodiversity and emphasizes the need to monitor such associations to better comprehend the potential ecological effects, both positive and negative.

 

This contribution highlights the complex interactions that occur within marine ecosystems and their implications for species distribution and ecological dynamics.

 

Further studies, incorporating additional samples and abiotic data, are essential to deepen our understanding of these relationships and their broader ecological impacts.

 

CREDIT AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTION STATEMENT

 

JAF and IBS conceived the research ideas, first draft of this manuscript, writing of the manuscript and revisions along the main text; ARP, ES, AKC and LTM writing and revisions along the main text.

 

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence this study.

 

FUNDING SOURCE

 

No financial contribution was used for the development of this article.

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 

The authors would like to thank the fisherman known as Maturi for the donation of material provided in this study.

 

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