The ostracod fauna of an intertidal Sabellaria reef at Blue-Anchor, Somerset, England
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Academic Press: London; New York. ISSN 0272-7714; e-ISSN 1096-0015, more
|  |
| Keywords |
Crustacea [WoRMS]; Ostracoda [WoRMS]; Sabellaria Lamarck, 1818 [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract |
The first detailed description of an association between ostracods and Sabellaria worm-tubes is presented here. The ostracod fauna of a Sabellaria reef on the southern shore of the Severn Estuary has been examined. Two biotopes have been recognized, each supporting a characteristic ostracod fauna: the worm-tubes themselves and coralline algae growing in pools on the reef surface. A possible third biotope, with a fauna intermediate in composition between the other two, is provided by growths of tube-dwelling diatoms. Eighteen ostracod species have been recorded; Hemicythere villosa (Sars) was the dominant reef-dwelling form. Specimens of an ostracod species inhabiting nearby sandflats were found incorporated alive as building material within the worm-tubes, a fate apparently escaped by the ostracods actually inhabiting the reef. Possible reasons for this discrimination are discussed. |
|
