First records of the sponge crab Dromia personata (Brachyura) in the Netherlands and its historical findings in the North Sea

Only a few records exist of the sponge crab Dromia personata in the North Sea. Most records are in local languages, and have limited availability. On 11 August 2016, D. personata was found by divers in the Eastern Scheldt, a former estuary in the south-western part of the Netherlands. In the months to follow, at least four other individuals were observed by divers at the same and nearby locations. This paper lists these and former records in the North Sea. The distribution pattern, and the possible migration of the sponge crab in relation to environmental conditions such as seawater temperature are discussed, as well as the crab's use of the non-native sponge Celtodoryx ciocalyptoides.</p

The scleractinian <i>Agaricia undata</i> as a new host for the coral-gall crab <i>Opecarcinus hypostegus</i> at Bonaire, southern Caribbean

The Caribbean scleractinian reef coral Agaricia undata (Agariciidae) is recorded for the first time as a host of the coral-gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus (Cryptochiridae). The identity of the crab was confirmed with the help of DNA barcoding. The association has been documented with photographs taken in situ at 25 m depth and in the laboratory. The predominantly mesophotic depth range of the host species suggests this association to be present also at greater depths. With this record, all seven Agaricia species are now listed as gall-crab hosts, together with the agariciid Helioseris cucullata. Within the phylogeny of Agariciidae, Helioseris is not closely related to Agaricia. Therefore, the association between Caribbean agariciids and their gall-crab symbionts may either have originated early in their shared evolutionary history or later as a result of host range expansion. New information on coral-associated fauna, such as what is presented here, leads to a better insight on the diversity, evolution, and ecology of coral reef biota, particularly in the Caribbean, where cryptochirids have rarely been studied.</p

Nocturnal predation of christmas tree worms by a batwing coral crab at Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Christmas tree worms (Serpulidae: Spirobranchus) occur in shallow parts of coral reefs, where they live as associates of a large number of stony coral species [...

Extension of the recorded host range of Caribbean Christmas tree worms (<i>Spirobranchus</i> spp.) with two Scleractinians, a Zoantharian, and an Ascidian

Caribbean Christmas tree worms (Annelida: Polychaeta: Serpulidae: Spirobranchus) are considered host generalists in their associations with anthozoan (Scleractinia) and hydrozoan (Millepora) stony corals [...

The stony coral Agaricia tenuifolia Dana, 1848 as a new gall crab host (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae)

<div><p>Abstract Infrequently studied coral species are seldom mentioned as host organisms of associated fauna. Here we report on the stony coralAgaricia tenuifoliaDana, 1848 hosting a gall crab (Cryptochiridae) for the first time. This coral-dwelling crab was observed at the southern coast of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean. Based on the shape of the dwelling, and the host specificity of cryptochirids, the crab is tentatively identified asOpecarcinus hypostegus(Shaw & Hopkins, 1977).</p></div

Benthic biodiversity on old platforms, young wind farms, and rocky reefs

The introduction of artificial hard substrates in an area dominated by a sandy seabed increases habitat available to epifouling organisms. To investigate this, samples were taken on old offshore oil and gas platforms, and data were compared with data of a young wind farm and a natural reef. Depth, sampling date, abundance of Mytilus edulis, Psammechinus miliaris, Metridium dianthus, and the presence of Tubulariidae and substrate (rock or steel) all correlated with species richness. Multivariate analysis showed a large overlap in communities on steel and rock and between the wind farm and platforms. The community changed over a gradient from deep rocks to shallow steel substrate, but no strong community differentiation was observed. Deep steel was more similar to natural rocks than shallow steel. When an artificial reef is intended to be colonized by communities similar to those on a natural reef, its structure should resemble a natural reef as much as possible