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High predation by the corallivore sea snail Jenneria pustulata in a high-latitude reef in the Gulf of California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2012

David A. Paz-García ,
Alejandro Aldana-Moreno ,
Rafael A. Cabral-Tena  and
Eduardo F. Balart
David A. Paz-García
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Necton y Ecología de Arrecifes, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, México
Alejandro Aldana-Moreno
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Necton y Ecología de Arrecifes, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, México
Rafael A. Cabral-Tena
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Necton y Ecología de Arrecifes, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, México
Eduardo F. Balart*
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Necton y Ecología de Arrecifes, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, México
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: E.F. Balart, Laboratorio de Necton y Ecología de Arrecifes, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, México email: ebalart04@cibnor.mx
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Abstract

High predation by the corallivore gastropod Jenneria pustulata was observed in July 2011 in a high-latitude reef at Bahía de Los Ángeles in the northern Gulf of California. Porites panamensis corals were infested by 15 to 40 sea snails per colony (22 ± 7.25 ind 0.1 m–2 of Porites surface). Coral colonies were 20–30 cm tall and the average size of the sea snails were 1.7 cm (SD ± 0.238, N = 152). These data indicate a change in the daily pattern of movement and feeding of the gastropod in this reef. Despite high density of J. pustulata on the reef, no soft corals were observed as damaged by the sea snail.

Keywords

Eastern PacificGulf of CaliforniaBahía de Los Ángeleshigh-latitude reefcorallivore sea snailJenneria pustulatascleractinian coralPorites panamensispredation
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 5 , August 2012 , e94
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012

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