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Effects of habitat structure on the mollusc assemblage in Mussismilia corals: evaluation of the influence of different coral growth morphology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2021

M. M. Nogueira Open the ORCID record for M. M. Nogueira [Opens in a new window] ,
E. Neves  and
R. Johnsson
M. M. Nogueira*
Affiliation:
LABIMAR (Laboratório de Invertebrados Marinhos: Crustacea, Cnidaria e Fauna Associada), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, No. 147, Campus Ondina, Salvador, BACEP 40170-115, Brazil
E. Neves
Affiliation:
LABIMAR (Laboratório de Invertebrados Marinhos: Crustacea, Cnidaria e Fauna Associada), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, No. 147, Campus Ondina, Salvador, BACEP 40170-115, Brazil
R. Johnsson
Affiliation:
LABIMAR (Laboratório de Invertebrados Marinhos: Crustacea, Cnidaria e Fauna Associada), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, No. 147, Campus Ondina, Salvador, BACEP 40170-115, Brazil
*
Author for correspondence: M. M. Nogueira, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Habitat structure increases richness and abundance of species in many environments by providing easy access to resources and refuge from predators. In coral reefs, corals are habitat for many organisms and differences in their morphologies may act as variation in habitat structure for associated fauna. In the present study, we investigate whether there are differences in the richness and abundance of molluscs associated with three species of Mussismilia corals exhibiting different growth morphologies, in two different reef areas of the Bahia state. Mussismilia harttii has a meandroid pattern, M. hispida is a massive coral, M. braziliensis also has a massive growth pattern with crevices at the corallum base. Coral characteristics were measured in the laboratory. Significant differences were identified for richness among coral species – higher values were reported in colonies of M. harttii and no significant statistical differences were observed between M. braziliensis and M. hispida. Considering the density of associated molluscs, the same pattern was found. The results are in accordance with previous studies and indicate the importance of M. harttii as a key habitat to maintain a richer and more abundant associated fauna. The internal volume of interpolypal space is an important factor influencing the richness and density of associated species.

Keywords

Associated faunahabitat complexityhabitat heterogeneityhabitat structurescleractinian corals
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 61 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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