Premium
Seasonal patterns in the abundance of E ctopleura crocea ( C nidaria: H ydrozoa) on a shipwreck in the N orthern A driatic
Author(s) -
Di Camillo Cristina Gioia,
Giordano Giuseppe,
Bo Marzia,
Betti Federico,
Mori Mario,
Puce Stefania,
Bavestrello Giorgio
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/maec.12025
Subject(s) - hydroid (botany) , crustacean , abundance (ecology) , biology , zoology , ecology , botany
Abstract Ectopleura crocea is an A nthomedusan hydroid, frequently recorded and abundant on artificial substrates. Here we examine whether the abundance of this species varies seasonally on a shipwreck in the N orthern A driatic at a depth of 10–12 m. Individuals were first found in late autumn when temperatures had dropped below 15 °C, forming scattered colonies composed of a few, small hydranths bearing immature gonophores. Substratum cover and density increased throughout late winter and spring, reaching a peak in April. At temperatures of about 19 °C, colonies were no longer present in June and remained absent throughout the summer. The polyp gut contents comprised mostly crustaceans.