Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

Cambridge University Press, Marine Biodiversity Records, (6)

DOI: 10.1017/s1755267212001121

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Neosiphonia howei (Ceramiales: Rhodomelaceae) - A common epiphyte of the spreading coral reef alga Lobophora variegata (Dictyotales: Dictyotaceae)

Journal article published in 2013 by Anna Fricke, Tamara V. Titlyanova, Maggy M. Nugues ORCID, Kai Bischof ORCID
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Fleshy macroalgae are becoming a dominant benthic component on Caribbean coral reefs, with increased abundance and frequency across all reef zones. Over the past two decades, the brown alga Lobophora variegata has proliferated on shallow and deep reefs in Curaçao, former Netherlands Antilles. This alga provides a living substrate for a diverse epiphytic community. Here we report on Neosiphonia howei (Rhodomelaceae: Ceramiales), growing epiphytically on L. variegata over a broad depth gradient (6.5 to 40 m). Although N. howei has been reported as a typical epiphyte in shallow water, it was commonly found on L. variegata blades on the reef slope in all fertile stages. This epiphyte anchored deeply into the host tissue, suggesting hemiparasitic behaviour. The spread of L. variegata may have increased the depth-range of N. howei and the exact nature of the interaction between N. howei and its host deserves further research considering the importance of fleshy macroalgae on coral reefs.