Symbiotic associations between anthozoans and crustaceans in a temperate coastal area

Abstract

While symbiotic associations between anemones and crustaceans appear to be common in tropical waters, few such associations are known from temperate waters, except for the symbiosis between hermit crabs and anemones. In this study, observations made with ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) suggested that certain shrimps (Pandalus borealis, P. propinquus, P. montagui and in particular Spirontocaris liljeborgii and Lebbeus polaris) associate with the anemone Bolocera tuediae and the cerianthid Pachycerianthus multiplicatus by aggregating beneath their tentacles. The lithodid crab Lithodes maja was also observed associating with B. tuediae. Laboratory experiments suggested that female crabs have a stronger association than males. The associations are presumably facultative commensalistic, as the species of crustaceans live as non-symbionts on the sea floor as well, and the 2 anthozoans do not seem to gain any benefits from the associations. In the field, S. liljeborgii had the closest association with both species of anthozoans, while B. tuediae was the preferred host of all associating species. The main benefit for the crustaceans to be associated with the anthozoans is protection against predators. In the case of the shrimps, access to a food source is probably also important.

Evidence of niche conservatism and host fidelity in the polar shrimp Lebbeus kiae n. sp. (Decapoda: Caridea: Thoridae) from the Ross Sea, Antarctica

“…In all other known cases where species of Lebbeus associate with sea anemones, a clear preference for a specific host is also shown: L. grandimanus and L. cf. groenlandicus, both from the northern Pacific, favour Cribrinopsis fernaldi over Metridium giganteum (Stevens & Anderson, 2000); and L. polaris prefers Bolocera tuediae to the cerianthid Pachycerianthus multiplicatus (see Jonsson et al, 2001). Lebbeus balssi Hayashi, 1992 from Japan occupies the stinging sea anemone, Dofleinia armata Wassilieff, 1908(Hayashi & Okuno, 1997, and L. acudactylus Jensen, 2006 from the northeastern Pacific has been found with Cribinopsis fernaldi (see Jensen, 2014).…”

“…Two females (NIWA 39197,39325) have an epicaridean parasite on the left side of the cephalothorax. Species of Lebbeus are often known to be commensal with other benthic invertebrates (Komai, 2001); at least five other species are associated with sea anemones: L. africanus Fransen, 1997, L. balssi Hayashi, 1992, L. grandimanus, L. groenlandicus (Fabricius, 1775 and L. polaris (Sabine, 1824) (Butler, 1980;Fransen, 1997;Hayashi & Okuno, 1997;Stevens & Anderson, 2000;Jonsson et al, 2001;Jensen, 2006).…”

Decapod crustaceans associated with the snakelock anemone <i>Anemonia sulcata</i>. Living there or just passing by?

“…Although most symbiotic decapods inhabit their host as solitary individuals or as a mated pair (Knowlton, 1980;Haines et al, 1994;Omori et al, 1994;Palmer, 1995), there are also records of the occurrence of aggregations of individuals in a single host (Nizinski, 1989;Baeza and Thiel, 2000). Associations between sea anemones and decapods are not unusual and have already been reported from tropical and temperate areas in intertidal and subtidal regimes (Wirtz, 1997;Jonsson et al, 2001;Thiel and Baeza, 2001;Khan et al, 2004). Decapods associating with sea anemones may seek protection, food, a reproductive mate or all of these features (Wirtz and Diesel, 1983;Fautin et al, 1995;Baeza and Thiel, 2003;Valdivia and Stotz, 2006).…”

Transfer of the gatekeeper sea anemone <i>Verrillactis</i> sp. (Cnidaria: Actiniaria: Sagartiidae) between shells by the host hermit crab <i>Dardanus deformis</i> (H. Milne Edwards, 1836) (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae)

“…The benefits for host hermit crabs include protection from predators, such as cephalopods and fish, by the nematocysts of sea anemones (Ross, 1971;Balasch & Mengual, 1973;Ross & Boletzky, 1979;McLean, 1983) and use of the sea anemones as emergency food (Imafuku et al, 2000). The symbiotic sea anemones also benefit from their association with hermit crabs in the form of access to food resources (Stachowitsch, 1979(Stachowitsch, , 1980, ensured substratum availability (Conover, 1979;Brooks, 1989), protection from predators, and increased dispersal (Balss, 1924;Jonsson et al, 2001;McLean & Mariscal, 1973). These reciprocal benefits have identified these relationships as mutualism (Antoniadou et al, 2013).…”