-Some members of the Pinnotheridae family exhibit close symbiotic relationships with bivalves, which may cause severe damage to the mollusk. The condition index (CI) is a tool that serves to evaluate the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on the morphology and physiology of mollusks, including those caused by symbiotic organisms. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of the infestation of the pinnotherid crab Austinotheres angelicus on the oyster Saccostrea palmula through monthly sampling (April to November 2012) in Punta Morales, Pacific coast of Costa Rica. A total of 245 oysters were analyzed, of which 38% were infested by the pinnotherid crab. Most of the oysters analyzed (92%) varied in depth between 1.5 and 15.0 mm; 89% of the infested oysters were in this depth range. The prevalence was positively correlated with the depth of the oyster. Our results revealed that crab infestation could reduce the CI by 11 to 33%. The obtained findings suggest that the infestation by A. angelicus provokes alterations of the flesh production of the oyster, especially when the association is with a pair of crabs including an ovigerous female. The association of A. angelicus with S. palmula is best described as facultative parasitism for male crabs and obligatory parasitism for females.
Pea crabs of the family Pinnotheridae exhibit a symbiotic life style and live associated with a variety of different marine organisms, especially bivalves. Despite the fact that pea crabs can cause serious problems in bivalve aquaculture, the available information about the ecology of these crabs from Central America is extremely limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to describe different reproductive features of the pinnotherid crab Austinotheres angelicus associated with the oyster Saccostrea palmula in the Golfo de Nicoya, Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Monthly sampling was conducted from April to December 2012. Average carapace width (CW) of the 47 analyzed ovigerous females was 7.62 mm. The species produced on average 2677 ± 1754 recently -extruded embryos with an average volume of 0.020 ± 0.003 mm3; embryo volume increased during embryogenesis by 21%, but did not vary significantly between developmental stages. Brood mass volume varied greatly (between 11.7 and 236.7 mm3), and increased significantly with female CW. Females invested on average 76.7% (minimum: 21.7%; maximum: 162.8%) of their body weight in brood production, which confirms a substantially higher energy allocation for embryo production in pinnotherid crabs compared to free-living decapods.
Decapod crustaceans are a diverse group that exploits various types of habitats in Costa Rica, where they represent 8.1% of the marine diversity of the country. This group includes families containing species with strictly symbiotic behavior, e.g., the Palaemonidae and Pinnotheridae. Despite the high diversity of decapods and the importance of symbionts in marine ecosystems, very little research has been done regarding symbiosis in Costa Rica and the Central American region. The objective of the present study is to present a check list of the species of decapods that are associated with macroinvertebrates in Pacific Costa Rica. The research was carried out using different sources, including a literature review, the Crustaceans Collection of the Zoology Museum of the University of Costa Rica, and field surveys between 1970 and 2019 along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and Isla del Coco, 500 km offshore. One-hundred associations are reported, of 74 species of symbiotic decapods with six host phyla. Seventy-four associated with Cnidaria, 15 with Echinodermata, four each with Annelida and Mollusca, two with Chordata, and one with Porifera. In total, there were 14 new reports of decapods occurring on Isla del Coco and four new reports of decapods for Costa Rica: Pseudocoutierea elegans, Raytheres clavapedatus, Tuleariocaris holthuisi, and Calyptraeotheres pepeluisi. These results highlight the need to conduct more detailed studies to determine the real diversity and ecological importance of the associations between marine organisms.
We present the results of conservation assessment of a rocky shore in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica (Playa Hermosa-Punta Mala National Wildlife Refuge) using the biological indicators proposed by the national environmental ministry. This study aims to analyze the influence of surveillance, between two sites, over the rocky shore habitat. The sampling was carried out during both the dry and rainy seasons in 2015. Our data shows that Nerita scabricosta -harvested in small-scale fisheries- presents a high number of colonies formed by few individuals. Moreover, the abundance varied between seasons, probably due to a storm surge. Macroalgae differed slightly among sites, where turf had higher percentage coverage in low surveillance areas, while brown algae had higher coverage in high surveillance areas. Mechanical damage (abrasion due to rocks overturning) associated with tourism and harvesting could be influencing the low surveillance area, explaining these differences. Macroalgae presented a seasonal change, probably related to the storm surge. The density of the Tetraclita stalactifera did not exhibit variations. The surveillance level and enforcement influenced some bioindicators of the rocky shore, and therefore could be used to assess the extractive pressure.
The ecology of the marine environments of the Murciélago Islands and the Santa Elena Peninsula have been studied little despite their high biodiversity. This area is influenced by a coastal upwelling. In 2014, 2016 and 2018, the region was visited to assess the composition and diversity of its reef environments. Bottom coverage, macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance, and reef fish biomass were quantified. The substrate was dominated by turf and crustose calcareous algae. Live coral coverage has decreased compared to previous reports for the area. Sea urchins were the macroinvertebrates with the highest densities, while species of commercial interest presented low densities, this may suggest some degree of fishing pressure. 84 reef fish species were identified, making the islands area with the greatest diversity of reef fish in the North Pacific of Costa Rica. Coral biotopes in this region are key to the conservation of connectivity between reef areas due to their high diversity.
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