TY - JOUR
T1 - Interspecific coral competition does not affect the symbiosis of gall crabs (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae) and their scleractinian hosts
AU - Bähr, Susanne
AU - van der Meij, Sancia E.T.
AU - Terraneo, Tullia I.
AU - Xu, Tao
AU - Benzoni, Francesca
PY - 2023/5
Y1 - 2023/5
N2 - Coral reefs accommodate a myriad of species, many of which live in association with a host organism. Decapod crustaceans make up a large part of this associated fauna on coral reefs. Among these, cryptochirid crabs are obligately associated with scleractinian corals, in which they create dwellings where they permanently reside. These gall crabs show various levels of host specificity, with the majority of cryptochirids inhabiting a specific coral genus or species. Here, we report the first records of gall crabs living in association with two different Porites species in the Red Sea. Crescent-shaped dwellings were observed in Porites rus and a Porites sp. in situ, and colonies with crabs were collected for further study in the laboratory. Using a combination of morphology and DNA barcoding, the crabs were identified as belonging to Opecarcinus, a genus only known to inhabit Agariciidae corals. The coral skeleton was bleached and studied under a stereo microscope, which revealed that the Porites corals overgrew adjoining agariciid Pavona colonies. We hypothesize that the gall crab originally settled on Pavona, its primary host of choice. Due to coral interspecific competition the Porites colony overgrew the adjacent Pavona colonies, resulting in a secondary and never before reported association of Opecarcinus with Porites. These findings suggest that cryptochirid crabs can adapt to the new microenvironment provided by a different coral host and survive competition for space on coral reefs.
AB - Coral reefs accommodate a myriad of species, many of which live in association with a host organism. Decapod crustaceans make up a large part of this associated fauna on coral reefs. Among these, cryptochirid crabs are obligately associated with scleractinian corals, in which they create dwellings where they permanently reside. These gall crabs show various levels of host specificity, with the majority of cryptochirids inhabiting a specific coral genus or species. Here, we report the first records of gall crabs living in association with two different Porites species in the Red Sea. Crescent-shaped dwellings were observed in Porites rus and a Porites sp. in situ, and colonies with crabs were collected for further study in the laboratory. Using a combination of morphology and DNA barcoding, the crabs were identified as belonging to Opecarcinus, a genus only known to inhabit Agariciidae corals. The coral skeleton was bleached and studied under a stereo microscope, which revealed that the Porites corals overgrew adjoining agariciid Pavona colonies. We hypothesize that the gall crab originally settled on Pavona, its primary host of choice. Due to coral interspecific competition the Porites colony overgrew the adjacent Pavona colonies, resulting in a secondary and never before reported association of Opecarcinus with Porites. These findings suggest that cryptochirid crabs can adapt to the new microenvironment provided by a different coral host and survive competition for space on coral reefs.
U2 - 10.1002/ece3.10051
DO - 10.1002/ece3.10051
M3 - Article
SN - 2045-7758
VL - 13
JO - Ecology and Evolution
JF - Ecology and Evolution
IS - 5
M1 - 10051
ER -