Distribution and Sediment Selection by the Mud Shrimp Upogebia noronhensis (Crustacea: Thalassinidea) and the Potential Effects on the Associated Macroinfaunal Community

Abstract

Burrowers such as thalassinideans remobilize sediment in benthic ecosystems, altering granulometry, enhancing organic matter cycling and oxygenation. We characterized the distribution of the mud shrimp Upogebia noronhensis and the associated macroinfauna along a depth and granulometric gradient in a shallow subtidal area in the southern Brazilian coast. Mud shrimp densities were estimated by burrow opening count using 0.25 m2 quadrats in three sediment zones: sand, sand-mud transition and mud. Macroinfaunal community descriptors and sediment granulometric characteristics were assessed. U. noronhensis average density varied from 0.6 to 145 individuals m−2 and was highest in the transition zone and lowest in the sand zone. Macrofauna in the sand zone was at least three times more abundant and 1.2 times richer, averaging 436.3 organisms and 39 species, while the transition and mud zones were more even in species distribution (species evenness > 0.7). The shrimp presence seems to be linked to a coarse sand content <80% and clay and silt <40% in the sediment, a compromise between gallery construction ability and filter-feeding suitability. High densities and aggregated distribution of mud shrimp, combined with alteration of sediment grain composition and organic matter, are likely to affect macroinfaunal abundance nearby the burrows.

Seagrass density correlates with burrow abundance and size in the Zebra Mantis Shrimp (Stomatopoda: Lysiosquillidae)

“…These data indicate that the mantis shrimps were selective in the materials they used to construct their burrows, in particular the inner wall lining. Grain size selectivity in burrow construction has been reported in several burrowing marine invertebrates including crustaceans (Sumida et al, 2020;Zorn et al, 2010).…”

Population Characteristics of the Mud Shrimp Upogebia major (De Haan, 1841) (Decapoda: Gebiidea: Upogebiidae) on Korean Tidal Flats in the Eastern Yellow Sea

“…The density of other Upogebia species in various regional seas typically ranges from 20 individuals/m 2 to over 200 individuals/m 2 . Although most studies reported U. africana (Ortmann, 1894) to have a high maximum density of 200 to 600 individuals/m 2 [86,[93][94][95][96], the maximum density of other Upogebia such as U. pusilla (Petagna, 1792) [87,97,98], U. omissa Gomes Corrêa, 1968 [30], U. pugettensis [34], and U. deltaura (Leach, 1816) [99] is generally reported to be around 100 to 140 individuals/m 2 . Therefore, the maximum density in our study was somewhat lower than that of U. africana, but higher than that of other Upogebia species.…”