Association between deep-water scale-worms (Annelida: Polynoidae) and black corals (Cnidaria: Antipatharia) in the Southwestern Atlantic

Abstract

Polynoid scale-worms have been found living as commensals with deep-water antipatharians (commonly known as black corals) in the Potiguar Basin, off Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil. In this paper two polychaete species and four black corals species are redescribed. Benhamipolynoecf.antipathicola and Parahololepidellacf.greeffi, and the black coral Stylopathesadinocrada Opresko, 2006 are recorded for the Southwestern Atlantic. Benhamipolynoecf.antipathicola was first described from off New Zealand and the Malay Archipelago, as symbiont with the black coral Stylopathestenuispina (Silberfeld, 1909). It was later reported for the North Atlantic, off Florida, associated with Stylopathescolumnaris (Duchassaing, 1870). In our study, B.cf.antipathicola was found in association with the black coral S.adinocrada. Parahololepidellacf.greeffi was first described as a free-living from shallow waters off São Tomé and Cabo Verde Islands, West Africa, and later reported as symbiont with the black coral Tanacetipathescf.spinescens in the same location. Our data expand both the geographical distribution and the host range of this species which is reported for the first time as symbiont with Tanacetipathesbarbadensis (Brook, 1889), T.tanacetum (Pourtalès, 1880) and T.thamnea (Warner, 1981) in Brazil. The aim of this study is to discuss commensal associations between two species of scale-worm polynoids and black corals found in the Southwestern Atlantic, and also reporting their global distribution. Finally, we provided an updated list of the commensal polynoids and their black coral hosts.

On the Diversity of Phyllodocida (Annelida: Errantia), with a Focus on Glyceridae, Goniadidae, Nephtyidae, Polynoidae, Sphaerodoridae, Syllidae, and the Holoplanktonic Families

“…However, like their shallow-water relatives, most of them are benthic, many likely correspond to undescribed species, and quite a lot seem to be symbionts. Among them, new discoveries include species associated with carnivorous sponges [416,417], black corals [418], cold-water corals [419,420], holothurians [395,421], and acorn worms (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrlSmxG5yZY, accessed on on 18 November 2020).…”

Thermal stress responses of the antipatharian Stichopathes sp. from the mesophotic reef of Mo'orea, French Polynesia

“…There, they often live as isolated colonies but they can also form dense assemblage under the right conditions (Bo et al, 2019;Cairns, 2007), and form the so-called "black coral forests" (Orejas & Jiménez, 2017;Rossi et al, 2017). These forests provide major three-dimensional habitats associated with highly diverse fauna and acting as spawning, nursery and feeding areas for many species (Bo et al, 2019;De Assis et al, 2019;De Clippele et al, 2019;Suarez et al, 2015;Tazioli et al, 2007;Wagner et al, 2012). The skeleton of antipatharians is made of chitin and proteins (Goldberg, 1978;Goldberg, 1994;Juárez-de la Rosa et al, 2012;Kim et al, 1992) and is sought to be used for medical, religious or decorative purposes, or sold as precious corals in the jewellery trade in several regions across the globe (Bruckner et al, 2008;Bruckner, 2016;Grigg, 2001;Tsounis et al, 2010;Todinanahary et al, 2016).…”