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Bryozoan assemblages on gastropod shells occupied by the hermit crab Pagurus comptus

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Abstract

Bryozoans are common on gastropod shells inhabited by the hermit crab Pagurus comptus in the southern southwest Atlantic. The aim of this study was to test whether bryozoan biodiversity was higher on larger and more complexly sculptured gastropod shells, as well as to analyze spatial and bathymetric changes in bryozoan assemblages. Forty-four bryozoan species were recorded on 59 gastropod (morpho) species. Larger shells tended to host a higher number of bryozoan species than smaller ones. Bryozoan species richness differed significantly among gastropods with different shell ornamentation, but richness did not increase along a predicted qualitative scale of increasing ornamentation complexity. Almost smooth but large shells had a much higher bryozoan richness than expected, and small shells with prominent ornamentation had unexpectedly the lowest richness, suggesting that shell size may be more important than ornamentation in determining bryozoan richness. Most of the shells hosted two bryozoan species, although up to 11 species per shell were observed. Maximum bryozoan richness occurred between 99 and 137 m. Bryozoan species richness on gastropod shells occupied by P. comptus was higher in the Burdwood Bank than around Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados. Epibiont assemblage composition and species richness differed among the six most abundant gastropods (Trophon ohlini, Pareuthria atrata, Cerithiopsis caelatum, Fuegotrophon pallidus, P. fuscata, Argeneuthria cerealis). The two most abundant bryozoans, Burdwoodipora paguricola and Odontoporella adpressa, do not overlap in their occupation of shell surfaces. This is the first study analyzing the relationships among bryozoans, gastropod shells, and hermit crabs in subantarctic waters.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Laura Schejter for making available some of the gastropods collected during the R/V Puerto Deseado cruises. We also thank the crews of the R/V Puerto Deseado and the coastguard GC Prefecto García, and particularly Marina Güller, for their help to obtain the samples. Matías Urcola, Carla Minghetti, and María del Mar Eivers helped us to sort the material from the sediment in the laboratory. Dennis P. Gordon and two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that helped to improve an earlier version of this paper. Financial support by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (PIP 2017–2019 No. 0254 to JLG), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT 2016–2983 to DGZ), and Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBACyT 20020150100195BA to DGZ) is acknowledged. Operating costs of the R/V Puerto Deseado cruises were afforded with funds of the Argentine state (Law 26,875). This is Marine Protected Area Namuncurá-Burdwood Bank Contribution No. 45.

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JLG identified the bryozoans, performed the statistical analyses, and wrote the manuscript. DGZ sorted the material, identified the gastropods, and contributed in the writing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Juan López-Gappa.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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López-Gappa, J., Zelaya, D.G. Bryozoan assemblages on gastropod shells occupied by the hermit crab Pagurus comptus. Polar Biol 44, 335–349 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02796-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02796-y

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