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Epibiota of the spider crab Schizophrys dahlak (Brachyura: Majidae) from the Suez Canal with special reference to epizoic diatoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2012

Fedekar F. Madkour ,
Wafaa S. Sallam  and
Mary K. Wicksten
Fedekar F. Madkour*
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
Wafaa S. Sallam
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt
Mary K. Wicksten
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3257, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: F.F. Madkour, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt email: fedekarmadkour@yahoo.com
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Abstract

This study aims to describe the epibiota of the spider crab, Schizophrys dahlak with special reference to epizoic diatoms. Specimens were collected from the Suez Canal between autumn 2008 and summer 2009. Macro-epibionts consisted of the tube worm Hydroides elegans, the barnacles Balanus amphitrite and B. eburneus, the bivalve Brachidontes variabilis and the urochordate Styela plicata. Total coverage of macro-epibionts was greater on females' carapaces than those of males with apparent seasonal variations. The highest coverage was noticed in spring and winter for both males and females. Sixty-five diatoms taxa were recorded as epibionts belonging to 25 genera. The maximal total averages of cell count were observed during summer and spring with the highest average of 10.9 and 4.4 × 103 cells dm−2 for males and females, respectively. A single diatom taxon, Fragilaria intermedia, comprising 73.5% of all epizoic diatoms, was the most dominant species during spring, whereas Amphora coffeaeformis and Cocconeis placentula were the dominants during summer. The masking behaviour of S. dahlak was discussed in terms of the significant role of epizoic diatoms.

Keywords

epizoic diatomsepibiotaspider crabSchizophrys dahlakSuez Canal
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 5 , August 2012 , e64
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012

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