3 research outputs found

    Molecular Techniques Reveal Wide Phyletic Diversity of Heterotrophic Microbes Associated with Discodermia spp. (Porifera: Demospongiae)

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    Sponges are well known to harbor large numbers of heterotrophic microbes within their mesohyl. Studies to determine the diversity of these associated microbes have been attempted for only a few shallow water species. We cultured various microorganisms from several species of Discodermia collected from deep water using the \u27Johnson-Sea-Link\u27 manned submersibles, and characterised them by standard microbiological identification methods. Characterisation of a small proportion (ca. 10%) of the total and potential eubacterial isolate collection with molecular systematics techniques revealed a wide diversity of microbes. Phylogenetic analyses of 32 small subunit (SSU) 16S-like rRNA gene sequences from different micorbes indicated high levels of taxonomic diversity assoiated with this genus of sponge. For example, bacteria from at least five cubacterial subdivisions - gamma, alpha, beta, Cytophaga and Gram positive - were isolated from the mesohyl of Discodermia. Several strains were unidentifiable from current sequence databases. No overlap was found between sequences of 24 isolates and 8 sequences obtained by PCR and cloning directly from sponge samples. The abundance and diversity of microbes associated with sponges such as Discodermia suggest that they may play important roles in marine microbial ecology, dispersal and evolution

    Lack of Chemical Defense in Two Species of Stalked Crinoids: Support for the Predation Hypothesis for Mesozoic Bathymetric Restriction

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    Methanol/dichloromethane extracts of (1) the arms and pinnules, and (2) the stalk and cirri of the deep water stalked crinoids Endoxocrinus parrae (Gervais) and Neocrinus decorus (Carpenter) were imbedded at ecologically relevant volumetric concentrations in alginate food pellets containing 2% krill as a feeding stimulant and presented in situ to an assemblage of shallow-water reef fish. Experimental pellets were highly palatable to reef fish; no significant differences in pellet consumption occurred between experimental pellets containing extracts from either species of stalked crinoid or control pellets. Small pieces of cirri, stalks, calyx, arms and pinnules of both species were also tested in in situ feeding assays. While immediate consumption by fish was not apparent, Blue Headed Wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum (Block)) and Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes fuscus (Cuvier)) bit at pieces of each body component. Similar fish biting behaviors were also observed when two living Endoxocrinus parrae were deployed on the shallow reef. Observations indicate that neither species of stalked crinoid is chemically defended from predation by a natural assemblage of reef fish. This supports the predation hypothesis that restriction of stalked crinoids in deep-water habitats may have resulted from the Mesozoic radiation of durophagous fishes in shallow seas, resulting in a reduction of stalked crinoids from shallow water
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