Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians (Tunicata: Ascidiacea) on intertidal rocks in Northeastern Brazil

Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians, starting on natural scraped substratum, was observed throughout one year, in quadrats marked on sea- and continental-rock faces in the sublittoral fringe of an exposed beach in the Northeast of Brazil. The species of the Didemnidae, Didemnum duplicatum Monniot, 1983, D. psammathodes Sluiter, 1895, and Polysyncraton amethysteum Van Name, 1902, and an unidentified species of Polycitoridae, Eudistoma sp. 1, were recruited. Presenting continuous recruitment of all species, the density of living and dead recruits and colonies was similar on both faces of the rocks. The highest rainfall during winter, affected significantly the recruits density of D. duplicatum and D. psammathodes. Different permanence periods were observed for colonies of each species. The longest permanence periods were assigned to the colonies of P. amethysteum and D. psammathodes, extending up to four and five months, respectively.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Gama,Petrônio Bezerra, Leonel,Rosa M. V., Hernández,Malva I. M., Mothes,Beatriz
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Museu de Ciências Naturais 2006
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0073-47212006000200005
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!