Keywords
Gulf of Nicoya
tropical benthos
intertidal flat
Polychaeta
Onuphidae
Americonuphis reesei
benthic biomass
grain size
Golfo de Nicoya
bentos tropical
planicie intermareal
Polychaeta
Onuphidae
Americonuphis reesei
biomasa
granulometría
Costa Rica
How to Cite
Abstract
Abundance, biomass, and sedimentary relationships of Americonuphis reesei (Polychaeta: Onuphidae) in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. The main population of Americonuphis reesei known in Costa Rica is located along the intertidal muddy sand sediments at the middle part of the Eastern bank of the Gulf of Nicoya. This is a tubicolous, viviparous, hermaphrodite worm, and one of the world’s largest polychaetes. In the studied area it typically measures 0.6 to 1.2m, or more, and weights 50 to 70g. Granulometric curves of core sediment samples were correlated to the spatial density of individuals at the corresponding sampling site. The preferred substrate by this species is a mixture of poorly to moderately sorted sands, usually where there are over 80% of sand particles (75 to 2 000μm), mostly medium sands (250 to 425μm), and with little contents of silt and clays. The particle size frequencies distribution curve is positive asymmetric and strongly leptokurtic around the median. By means of area measurements on a density distribution map, the population was assessed as around 10.24x106 individuals, and fresh biomass as approximately 599.9 metric tons. The population is divided into four main aggregations, that all together cover some 110 ha, but 85% of worms are concentrated in less than 50 ha. The density of individuals per square meter is 9.3 (=545.8g·m-² FW) in average, but its observed maximum density of 134 individuals equals a biomass concentration of 7 847.4g·m-² FW (=1 306.4g·m-² DW), which might be the highest density of biomass ever reported for a polychaete. Some hypothesis proposed as explanations of this high biomass are: the worm’s specificity to a substrate generally not accepted by other animals and a tube-dwelling habit that protects the worm against predation and inhibits competition from other benthic megainvertebrates, the high ecosystem’s primary production that sustains trophic webs that include this species, and the contribution to these webs made by algae and epibiotic fauna that use A. reesei’s tubes as substrate. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (Suppl. 4): 59-82. Epub 2009 June 30.References
Alongi, D.M. 1989. Ecology of tropical soft-bottom benthos: a review with emphasis on emerging concepts. Rev. Biol. Trop. 37: 85-100.
Alongi, D.M. 1990. The ecology of tropical soft-bottom benthic ecosystems. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 28: 381-496.
Andrade, J. & I. Liñero. 1993. Aspectos etológicos de Americonuphis magna (Andrews), (Polychaeta: Onuphidae). Bol. Inst. Oceanogr. Venezuela, Univ, Oriente 32: 11-16.
Andrade, J. & I. Liñero. 1996. Macrofauna epibionte de los tubos de Americonuphis magna (Andrews, 1891). Saber 8: 28-35.
Andrade, J., I. Liñero & J. Barrios. 1995. Macroalgas epibiontes en tubos de Americonuphis magna (Annelida: Polychaeta). Bol. Inst. Oceanogr. Venezuela, Univ, Oriente 34: 121-125.
Andrew, N.L. & B.D. Mapstone. 1986. Sampling and the description of spatial pattern in marine ecology. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 25: 39-90.
Bakus, G.J. 1990. Quantitative Ecology and Marine Biology. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. Cassie, R.M. & A.D. Michael. 1968. Fauna and sediments of an intertidal mud flat: a multivariate analysis. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 2: 1-23.
Cassie, R.M. 1972. Fauna and sediments of an intertidal mud-flat: an alternative multivariate analysis. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 9: 55-64.
Chaves, J. & M. Birkicht. 1996. Equatorial subsurface water and the nutrient seasonality distribution of the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 44 (Supl. 3): 41-47.
Córdoba, R. 1998. Primary productivity in water column of Estero Morales, a mangrove system in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 46 (Supl. 6): 257-262.
Daniels, W.D. 1977. Bioestadística: base para el análisis de las ciencias de la salud. Limusa, México D.F., México.
D’Croz, L., L. Wong, G. Justine & M. Gupta. 1988. Prostaglandins and related compounds from the polychaete worm Americonuphis reesei Fauchald (Onuphidae), as possible inducers of gonad maturation in Penaeid shrimps. Rev. Biol. Trop. 36: 331- 332.
Dean, H.K. 2004. Marine biodiversity of Costa Rica: Class Polychaeta (Annelida). Rev. Biol. Trop. 52 (Supl. 2): 131-181.
Defeo, O., A. Brazeiro, A. de Álava & G. Riestra. 1997. Is sandy beach macrofauna only physically controlled? Role of substrate and competition in isopods. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 45: 453-462.
Denyer, P. & G. Cárdenas. 2000. Costas Marinas, p. 185- 218. In P. Denyer & S. Kussmaul (eds.). Geología de Costa Rica. Tecnológica de Costa Rica, Cartago, Costa Rica.
Dittmann, S. & J.A. Vargas. 2001. Tropical tidal flat benthos compared between Australia and Central America. In K. Reise (ed.) Ecological Comparisons of Sedimentary Shores. Ecol. Stud. 151: 275-293.
Dyer, K. 1986. Coastal and Estuarine Sediment Dynamics. Wiley-Interscience, Chichester, R.U. Epifanio, C.E., D. Maurer & A.I. Dittel. 1983. Seasonal changes in nutrients and dissolved oxygen in the Gulf of Nicoya a tropical estuary on the Pacific coast of Central America. Hydrobiologia 101: 231-238.
Everitt, B.S. & G. Dunn. 1990. Applied Multivariate Data Analysis. Arnold, Londres, Inglaterra.
Fauchald, K. 1973. Polychaetes from Central American sandy beaches. Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 72: 19-31.
Fauchald, K. 1977. Polychaetes from intertidal areas in Panama, with a review of previous shallow-water records. Smithson. Contr. Zool. 221: 1-81.
Gallagher, E.D., P.A. Jumars & D.D. Trueblood. 1983. Facilitation of soft-bottom benthic succession by tube builders. Ecology 64: 1200-1216.
Giangrande, A. 1997. Polychaete reproductive patterns, life cycles and life histories: an overview. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 35: 323-386.
Gocke, K., J. Cortés & M.M. Murillo. 2001a. Planktonic primary production in a tidally influenced mangrove forest on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 49 (Supl. 2): 279-288.
Gocke, K., J. Cortés & M.M. Murillo. 2001b. The annual cycle of primary production in a tropical estuary: The inner regions of the Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 49 (Supl. 2): 289-306.
Gómez, J.A., E. Murillo, J.R Villalaz & A. Cogley. 2001. Determinación de lípidos en el poliqueto Americonuphis reesei el las playas El Salado, Aguadulce y Agallito, Chitré. Scientia 16: 37-44.
Gray, J.S. 1981. The ecology of marine sediments. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Herrera, W. 1985. Clima de Costa Rica, p. 118. In L.D. Gómez (ed.). Vegetación y clima de Costa Rica. EUNED, San José, Costa Rica.
Hewitt, J.E., S.F. Thrush, V.J. Cummings & S.J. Turner. 1998. The effect of changing sampling scales on our ability to detect of large-scale processes on communities. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 227: 251-264.
Hogarth, P.J. 1999. The biology of mangroves. Oxford University Press, Nueva York, EEUU.
Hsieh, H.L. 1995. Spatial and temporal patterns of polychaete communities in a subtropical mangrove swamp: influences of sediment and microhabitat. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 127: 157-167.
Jiménez, J.A. 1994. Los manglares del Pacífico Centroamericano. Ed. Fundación UNA, Heredia, Costa Rica. Little, C. 2000. The Biology of Soft Shores and Estuaries. Oxford, University Press, Nueva York, EEUU.
Lizano, O.G. 1998. Dinámica de las aguas en la parte interna del Golfo de Nicoya ante altas descargas del Río Tempisque. Rev. Biol. Trop. 46 (Supl. 6): 11-20.
Lizano, O.G. 2006. Algunas características de las mareas en la costa Pacífica y Caribe de Centroamérica. Ciencia Tecnol. 24: 51-64.
Lizano, O.G. & J.A. Vargas. 1993. Distribución espaciotemporal de la salinidad y la temperatura en la parte interna del Golfo de Nicoya. Tecnología en Marcha 12: 3-16.
Luckenbach, M.W. 1986. Sediment stability around animal tubes: the roles of hydrodynamic processes and biotic activity. Limnol. Oceanogr. 31: 779-787.
Luna, I.G. & I.E. López. 2001a. Aspectos de la alimentación, regeneración y comportamiento de la construcción de los tubos del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei. Scientia 16:7-13.
Luna, I.G. & I.E. López. 2001b. Comportamiento del consumo de oxígeno en Americonuphis reesei durante el período de estudio (Onuphidae: Polychaea). Scientia 16: 15-19.
Luna, I.G., J.A. Villalaz, Jr. & I.E. López. 2001a. Desarrollo gonadal del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei en las playas El Agallito de El Salado de Aguadulce (Onuphidae: Polychaeta). Scientia 16: 21-28.
Luna, I.G., J.A. Villalaz, Jr. & I.E. López. 2001b. Distribución de la biomasa y los parámetros morfométricos en las poblaciones del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei en las playas de El Salado de Aguadulce y El Agallito de Chitré. Scientia 16: 53-64.
Manly, B.F.J. 1986. Multivariate Statistical Methods. A primer. Chapman and Hall, Nueva York, EEUU.
Maurer, D. & J.A. Vargas. 1984. Diversity of soft-bottom benthos in a tropical estuary: Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Mar. Biol. 81: 97-106.
Penas, E. & G. González. 1983. Relationships between benthic infauna and environmental factors in three beaches of the Ría de Arosa embayment (Spain) using canonical correlation analysis. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 68: 245-256.
Raffaelli, D., I. Karakassis & A. Galloway. 1991. Zonation schemes on sandy shores: a multivariate approach. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 148: 241-253.
Rojas, R. & M.L. Fournier. 1999. Estudio poblacional del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei en el Golfo de Nicoya. Informe de visita de campo. Biosfera Consultores, San José, Costa Rica.
Rojas, R. & M.L. Fournier. 2000. Estimación del máximo rendimiento sustentable en la explotación del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei, mediante cambios en la abundancia y densidad en la margen oriental interior del Golfo de Nicoya. Primer informe de avance. Biosfera Consultores, San José, Costa Rica.
Rojas, R. & M.L. Fournier. 2003. Estimación del máximo rendimiento sustentable en la explotación del poliqueto Americonuphis reesei en la margen oriental del Golfo de Nicoya. Informe final de consultoría. Biosfera Consultores, San José, Costa Rica.
Shephard, F.P. 1954. Nomenclature based on sand-silt-clay ratios. J. Sediment. Petrol. 24: 151-158.
Shin, P.K.S. & G.B. Thompson. 1982. Spatial distribution of the infaunal benthos of Hong Kong. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 10: 37-47.
Soler, A., M.I. Pérez & E. Aguilar. 2001. Fitobentos de las playas del Salado (Aguadulce) y Agallito (Chitré). Scientia 16: 79-96.
Vargas, J.A. 1987. The benthic community of an intertidal mud flat in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. Description of the community. Rev. Biol. Trop. 35: 229-316.
Vargas, J.A. 1988. A survey of the meiofauna of an Eastern Tropical Pacific mud flat. Rev. Biol. Trop. 36: 541-544.
Vargas, J.A. 1996. Ecological dynamics of a tropical intertidal mudflat community, p. 355-371. In K.F. Nordstrom & C.T. Roman (eds.) Estuarine Shores: Evolution, environment and Human Alterations. Wiley, Londres, Inglaterra.
Vargas, J.A., H.K. Dean, D. Maurer & P. Orellana. 1985. Lista preliminar de invertebrados asociados a los sedimentos del Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica. Brenesia 24: 327-342.
Villalaz, J.R., E.A. Muñoz & J.A. Gómez. 2001b. Determinación de proteínas en el poliqueto Americonuphis reesei en las playas El Salado, Aguadulce y Agallito, Chitré. Scientia 16: 29-36.
Voorhis, A., C.E. Epifanio, D. Maurer, A.I. Dittel & J.A. Vargas. 1983. The estuarine character of the Gulf of Nicoya, an embayment on the Pacific coast of Central America. Hydrobiologia 99: 225-237.
Wilson, W.H. 1991. Competition and predation in marine soft-sediment communities. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 21: 221-241.
Wolff, M., V. Koch, J.B. Chavarría & J.A. Vargas. 1998. A trophic flow model of the Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 46 (Supl. 6): 63-79.
Wolff, M. 2006. Biomass flow structure and resource potential of two mangrove estuaries: insights from comparative modeling in Costa Rica and Brazil. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54: 69-86.
Woodin, S.A. 1981. Disturbance and community structure in a shallow water sand flat. Ecology 62: 1052-1066.
Zettler, M.L. 1997. Population dynamics, growth, and production of the neozoon Marenzelleria cf. viridis (Verrill, 1973) (Polychaeta: Spionidae) in a coastal water of the southern Baltic Sea. Aquat. Ecol. 31: 177-186.
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2008 Revista de Biología Tropical