Feeding habits of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) in the Sicily Strait

Puccio, Valentina; Relini, M.; Azzurro, Ernesto; Relini, L. Orsi

doi:10.1007/1-4020-4756-8_10

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In the Mediterranean, P. gibbesi was described as strictly herbivorous by Puccio et al (2006); others have reported that it feeds on both plant and animal matter (Cannicci et al 2004;Deudero et al 2005). Deudero et al (2005) reported opportunistic feeding on algae, pagurids and polychaetes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biology and interspecific interactions of the alien crabPercnon gibbesiin the Maltese Islands

Sciberras

Schembri

2008

Marine Biology Research

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Spatial and bathymetric distribution, population density, habitat preferences, fecundity, breeding season and interspecific interactions of the alien grapsoid crab Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) from the Maltese Islands (Malta and Gozo) are compared among localities in the Mediterranean where established populations have been reported since 1999. In the Maltese Islands, habitat preferences and bathymetric distribution were similar to those in other Mediterranean localities. Spatial distribution was found to be limited by the availability of the boulder habitat in which this crab nearly always occurs. Fecundity was higher in the Maltese Islands than in Linosa and Lampedusa, the breeding season lasting from the end of May until September. On Maltese shores the habitat of the alien overlapped with that of the native grapsid Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Grapsoidea) and, to a lesser extent, that of the native xanthid Eriphia verrucosa (Forskål, 1775). Laboratory studies to assess the possible interactions of the alien species with P. marmoratus suggest that the latter shows a competitive advantage over P. gibbesi, since 80.8% of encounters between the two species were initiated by P. marmoratus, and in 80% of the encounters it prevailed. This suggests that P. marmoratus is unlikely to be excluded from its natural habitat by the alien species, and that significant spatial resource partitioning on the part of P. marmoratus is unlikely to occur.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biology and interspecific interactions of the alien crabPercnon gibbesiin the Maltese Islands

Sciberras

Schembri

2008

Marine Biology Research

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“…Several authors suggest that the alien species is a potential competitor for resources, mainly space, with the native syntopic grapsid (DEUDERO et al, 2005). PUCCIO et al (2006) suggest that the feeding behaviour of P. gibbesi could give it an advantage over other Decapoda species, by allowing the invasive species to explore a broader feeding niche.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Larval transport by surface currents and transport due to shipping may hypothetically be the ways P. gibbesi was introduced in Tunisia. In fact, a large population was found in Sicily and circum-Sicilian Islands and in Malta (PUCCIO et al, 2006;SCIBERRAS & SCHEMBRI, 2007).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the distribution of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Plagusiidae) along the Tunisian coast

Sghaier¹,

Zakhama‐Sraieb²,

Charfi‐Cheikhrouha³

2011

Medit. Mar. Sci.

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“…While some aspects of the biology and ecology of adult P. gibbesi have been investigated [25][26][27][28][29][30], little is known on its larval stages. A major reason could be the low efficiency of traditional sampling gear (e.g., plankton nets) in collecting a sufficient number of living and healthy larvae.…”

Section: Open Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Substrate preference and settlement behaviour of the megalopa of the invasive crab Percnon gibbesi (Decapoda, Percnidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2016

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The transition from a planktonic to a benthic life is a critical phase in which sub-adults are particularly exposed to the risk of predation and dispersion into unsuitable habitats, and plays a crucial role in the distribution, structure and dynamics of marine populations. Settlement involves the selection of an adequate substrate that provides shelter and food during early life stages. Percnon gibbesi is an alien brachyuran crab that has invaded the Mediterranean, where it is preferentially associated to boulders covered with shallow algal turf. The mechanisms of substrate selection leading to the settlement of megalopae are still unknown in P. gibbesi, yet their knowledge may shed light on its high invasiveness. We examined the substrate preference and settlement behaviour of 36 megalopae of P. gibbesi using three natural substrates in an experimental mesocosm: gravel, cobbles and flat stones. Video recordings of 30-min trials were used to assess the substrate preference, measure the time to selection and observe the behaviour of the megalopae. Strong preference was given to hard and stable substrates i.e., cobbles and flat stones with interstices where to hide, which are also the most suitable as they provide shelter and food. Direct selection was the dominant behaviour followed by exploration and lastly by hesitation. The megalopae selected quickly the most suitable substrate to settle, likely enhancing their chances of survival. Our findings suggest that rapid settlement on a suitable substrate contributes to the success of the biological invasion of P. gibbesi along the Mediterranean coasts.

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Feeding habits of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) in the Sicily Strait

Cited by 15 publications

References 9 publications

Biology and interspecific interactions of the alien crabPercnon gibbesiin the Maltese Islands

Biology and interspecific interactions of the alien crabPercnon gibbesiin the Maltese Islands

On the distribution of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Plagusiidae) along the Tunisian coast

Substrate preference and settlement behaviour of the megalopa of the invasive crab Percnon gibbesi (Decapoda, Percnidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

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