Crustacean Fauna in Association with Common Algae of Karachi Coastal Waters

Ehsan Elahi Valeem1, Quddusi B. Kazmi2*, Farhana S. Ghory2 and Shazia Sadiq2

1Institute of Marine Science, University of Karachi, Karachi

2Marine Reference Collection and Resource Centre, University of Karachi, Karachi

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the structure (species composition and relative abundance, species associations and interactions, habitat preferences, species diversity and abundance relationships) of algal crustacean assemblages have been investigated from a range of algal types collected in clear Manora and Buleji waters. A total of 23 crustacean species were separated from algae at both the sites. Significant positive correlations between species were detected.

Article Information

Received 09 March 2021

Revised 13 June 2021

Accepted 25 July 2022

Available online 04 September 2023

(early access)

Published 15 January 2025

Authors’ Contribution

EE designed methodology of the study. QBK worked on ceptualization, writting and editing. FG finalized the manuscript. SQ collected the data.

Key words

Algae, Crustacean, Karachi coast, Amphipods, Isopods, Copepods, Ostracods, Crustaceans, Brachyurans, Cumaceans, Tanaidaceans

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/20210309060342

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

0030-9923/2025/0001-0383 $ 9.00/00

Copyright 2025 by the authors. Licensee Zoological Society of Pakistan.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

INTRODUCTION

Plant-animal relationships are attracting the attention of marine biologists for a long time. It is observed that food ingested by a grazer may affect the animal’s growth and reproduction (Nicotri, 1977; Vadas, 1977) while the herbivores may affect the diversity, biomass and distribution of marine plants (Lubchenco, 1978; Raffaelli, 1979). Plants are also used by animals as refuge from predators and desiccation. The coastal areas of Karachi offer a variety of sandy beaches, rocky ledges, swampy wetlands and few islands. They are inhabited by a variety of marine benthic algae (Shameel and Tanaka, 1992; Shameel, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2012). Pakistan presents a unique opportunity for phycological studies of the various avenues of researches in this direction (Valeem, 2004; Valeem and Shameel, 2008), the most fascinating and useful investigation is the study of algal association with marine fauna (Warmke and Almodovar, 1963; Lewis, 1984). To date, some studies on plant-animal relationship are found in Pakistan: Zehra et al. (1995a) conducted a study on molluscan epifauna on marine algae of Karachi. Zehra et al. (1995b) studied epifauna and monsoons on Sargassum virgatum. Biomass of animals and seaweeds was studied by Ahmed and Hameed (1999). Ghani and Nawaz (2000) investigated algal associated fauna of Manora mangroves. Barkati and Rahman (2005) likewise studied Sandspit, Clifton and Port Qasim mangroves for fauna including fauna of seaweeds found there. Baig and Zehra (1997, 2002, 2006) consecutively worked on seasonal variation of Caulerpa sp. and Sargassum sp. and associated faunas. Kazmi (2016) in a compendium on symbiotic crustaceans of Pakistan reported 270 symbiotic aquatic Crustacea from Pakistani area,of which at least 30 are algal associated.The present analysis was under taken based on the crustacean species associated with all the common algae found on the rocky shores of Manora and Buleji by Sadiq (1994). During this study of one year (June 1990 to May 1991), 22 algal species were studied from the two collection sites. Besides crustaceans, the remaining groups were molluscs, polychaete worms, foraminiferans, nematodes, pycnogonids, bryozoans, cnidarians, ticks and mites, brittle stars, and starfish.

The rocky shores of Manora and Buleji have a fairly rich algal growth confining to three main types: Chlorophycota (green algae), Phaeophycota (brown algae) and Rhodophycota (red algae). The most common algae seem to be Padina pavonica and Stockeyia indica at Manora, whereas Ulva fasciata and Sargassum virgatum are common at Buleji. Sapathoglossum variabile, Hypnea musciformis, Laurencia obtusa, Gracilaria andersonii, Iyengaria stellata and Endarachne binghamiae are less commonly found.

The material under study shows a predominance of crustaceans, which represents 70-80 % of the associated fauna in a given sample. The frequency of occurrence of crustacean groups is in the following descending order: Amphipoda, Isopoda, Copepoda, Tanaidacea, Ostracoda, Cumacea, Brachyura and Caridea. The same data with updated taxonomy and comparison is utilized here.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During the study period from June 1990 to May 1991 monthly algal collections were obtained from Manora and Buleji at low tide. The non-random sampling was due to the patchy distribution of the plants. It was further noted that several species of algae grew side by side and that green and brown algae were mixed. Care was taken to obtain each species separately. During the study, salinity varied from 35 to 38%[T1]. At both collection sites, with a monthly mean at Buleji (35.5%)[T2] somewhat lower than at Manora (36%)[T3]. Water temperature at the two sites also varied from 22 to 30º C with a monthly mean at Buleji (24ºC) slightly lower than at Manora (25º C). The pH was similar at both collection sites ranged from 5 in November 1990 to 7 in April 1991.

Algal assemblages at both sites were quantified by the quadrate (l ft. sq) sampling technique with five samples per site per sampling date. Algal abundance varied seasonally at both the collection sites (Table I). For each month, the crustacean occurrence and dens­ity of crustaceans is shown with the help of histograms. The relative abundance of epifaunal crustaceans to a particular alga was also studied. The known species are mostly illustrated and supported with brief note on each one.

RESULTS

Copepoda

1. Sacodiscus littoralis (Sars, 1904)

(Fig. 1a).

Material and measurements: Very abundantly found. Females: 1.0 - 1.3 mm, Males: 0.5 - 0.75 mm.

Colour: Golden yellow

Habitat: Lives on Sargassums wartzii, Padina pavonica, Petalonia binghamiae, Stockeyia indica, Iyengaria stellata, Colpomenia sinousa.

2. Metamphiascopsis hirsutus

(Thompsonand Scott, 1903)

(Fig. 1b)

Material and measurements: Large numbers of females only, measuring 1.0 - 1.3 mm.

Colour: Pale yellowish or bluish grey.

Habitat: This species is found on all types of the algae, more commonly on: Padina pavonica, Iyengaria stellata, Colpomenia sinousa, Stockeyia indica, Laurencia obtusa, and Sargassums watrzii.

 

3. Laophonte cornuta Philippi, 1840

(Fig. 1c)

Material and measurements: Not very common. Females: 0.8 mm - 1.0 mm, Males: 0.6 - 0.9 mm.

Colour: Brownish grey.

Habitat: Found on Padina pavonica, Spathoglossum variabile, Stockeyia indica, Sargassums wartzii and Colpomenia sinousa.

4. Porcellidium fimbriatum fimbriatum Claus, 1863

(Fig. 1d)

Material and measurements: Very common. Females: 0.6 - 0.8 mm, Males: 0.45-0.50 mm.

Colour: Yellowish, dorsal surface with a darkviolet band across the posterior part of cephalic segment.

Habitat: Lives on Ulva fasciata, Caulerpa racemosa, Padina pavonica, Colpomenia sinousa, Halimeda tuna and Sargassum virgatum.

Ostracoda

1. Ancohenia robusta Brady, 1890

(Fig. 1e)

Material and measurements: Very abundant. Females: length, 0.65 - 0.90 mm, height, 0.54 - 0.70 mm, Males: length, 1.00 - 1.50 mm, height, 0.60 - 0.80 mm.

Colour: Golden yellow.

 

Table I. Seasonal variations in the occurrences of 22 algal species at two collection sites, Manora and Buleji (June 1990 - May 1991).

Algae

June

July

Au-gust

Sep-tember

Octo-ber

Novem-ber

Decem-ber

January

Fe-bruary

March

April

May

Manora

Sargassum virgatum

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

Stockeyia indica

+

+

+

-

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

Padina pavonica

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

Halimeda tuna

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

Caulerpat axifolia

+

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

+

-

Laurencia obtusa

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

Spatoglossum variabile

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

Iyengaria stellata

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

Colponenia sinusoa

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

Hypnea musciformis

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

Codium iyengarii

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

Gracilariopsis andersonii

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

Bryopsis plumosa

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Buleji

Sargaasum virgatum

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

+

+

+

+

Codium iyengarii

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

-

-

+

Stockeyia indica

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

-

+

+

+

Ulva fasciata

+

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Padina pavonica

+

+

+

+

+

+

-

-

-

+

-

-

Caulerpa racemosa

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

Acanthophora dendroides

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

-

Spatoglossumv ariabile

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

Odonthallia washingtoniensis

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

Iyengajria stellata

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

Colpomenia sinuosa

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

+

-

Endarechne binghamiae

+

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Caulerpa faridii

-

-

-

-

-

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

Chaetomorpha antennia

-

-

-

-

+

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

Sargassum swartzii

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

Bangia atropurpurea

+

+

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

Habitat: Found on Colpomenia sinousa, Sargassum virgatum, Ulva fasciata, Caulerpa taxifolia Iyengaria stellata and Padina pavonica.

Remark: Since only males are known from A. robusta (Churchill et al., 2014) the present females will be the first ever reported.

 

2. Cylindroleberis bacescui Kornicker and Caraion, 1974

(Fig. 1f)

Material and measurements: A large series of females only. Length, 2.5 - 4.0 mm, height, 0.55 - 1.7 mm.

Colour: Bluish purple.

Habitat: Lives on most of the algal species.

Amphipoda

1. Protohyale (Boreohyale) rubra (Thomson, 1879)

(Fig. 2a)

Material and measurements: Large number of males only, measuring: 9.5 - 11mm.

Colour: Pale yellow.

Habitat: Lives on Padina pavonica, Colpomenia sinousa, Stockeyia indica, Sargassum virgatum and Ulva fasciata.

2. Apohyale ayeli (Barnard, 1955)

(Fig. 2b)

Material and measurements: Very commonly found. Females: 9.5 -10.5 mm, Males: 7.2 -8.5 mm.

Colour: Brownish yellow.

Habitat: Lives on all types of algae, more commonly on Stockeyia indica.

3. Cymadusa filosa Savigny, 1816

(Fig. 2c)

Material and measurements: Extremely abundant. Females: 11.0 - 13.0 mm, Males: 10.5 - 12.5 mm.

Colour: Dark reddish brown.

Habitat: Found on all types of algae most common on brown algae: lyengaria stellata, Padina pavonica, Stockeyia indica, Colpomenia sinousa and Sargassum virgatum, Cymadusa filose constructs open-ended, uniform diameter cylindrical tubes using amphipod silk, to bind together faecal pellets, detritus and fronds of Sargassum.

Remark: Cymadusa filosa, long been considered a polymorphic, pantropical species, is in fact a species complex, and this situation has confused the generic concept.C. filosa name has been misapplied to some other species (Peart, 2004).

 

4. Cyproidea ornata Haswell, 1879

(Fig. 2d)

Material and measurements: Small number of males only measuring: 2.5 - 6.0 mm.

Colour: Brilliant yellow and black color.

Habitat: Found on Stockeyia indica, Sargassum virgatum, Sargassum swartzii and Iyengaria stellata.

5. Elasmopus pectenicrus (Bate, 1862)

(Fig. 2e)

Material and measurements: Numerous specimens. Females: 10 - 12.2 mm, Males: 7.5 - 10.5 mm.

Colour: Golden yellow.

Habitat: Lives on all types of algae, more commonly on Caulerpa racemosa, Stockeyia indica, Ulva fasciata and Padina pavonica.

6. Hemiaegina minuta Mayer, 1890

Material and measurements: Numerous specimens. Females: 5.3 - 9.2 mm, Males: 6.1 - 10.5 mm.

Colour: Golden yellow.

Habitat: Lives on all types of algae.

7. Pseudocaprellina pambanensis Raj, 1927

Material and measurements: Numerous specimens. Females: 4.4 - 5.7 mm, Males: 5.6 - 9.5 mm.

Colour: Pale cream.

Habitat: Lives on all types of algae.

Isopoda

1. Cirolana manorae Bruce and Javed, 1987

(Fig. 2f)

Material and measurements: Not very abundant. Females: 7.5 - 10.0 mm, Males: 8.5 - 11.8 mm.

Colour: Pale tan.

Habitat: Lives on Sargassum swartzii, Padina pavonica, Ulva fasciata, Colpomenia sinousa, Stockeyia indica and Laurencia obtusa.

2. Atarbolana setosa Javed and Yasmeen,1989

(Fig. 3a)

Material and measurements: Most abundant. Females: 4.9 - 5.3 mm, Males: 5 - 8.5 mm.

Colour: Pale cream.

Habitat: Found on all types of algae.

3. Paranthura latipes Barnard, 1955

(Fig. 3b)

Material and measurements: Rare, represented by males only measuring: 5.0 -7.2 mm

Colour: Pale cream.

Habitat: Lives on Halimeda tuna, Stockeyia indica, Caulerpa taxifolia, Chaetomorpha antenna and Bryopsis plumosa.

4. Paracilicaea keijii Javed, 1990

(Fig. 3c)

Material and measurements: A large series. Females: 5 - 8 mm, Males: 7.5 - 11.5 mm.

Colour: Reddish orange.

Habitat: Found on all types of algae.

5. Synidotea indica Javed and Yasmeen, 1994

(Fig. 3d)

Material and measurements: Extremely abundant. Females: 8 - 14 mm, Males: 10 - 19 mm.

Colour: Brown with dark brown dots.

Habitat: Found on all types of algae; most commonly on Stockeyia indica.

 

6. Paraimene tuberculata Javed and Ahmed, 1988

(Fig. 3e)

Material and measurements: Found in large numbers. Females: 2.5 -3.2 mm, Males: 3 - 3.8 mm.

Colour: Pale cream.

Habitat: Found on Ulva fasciata, Stockeyia indica, Sargassum suartzii, Padina pavonica, Codium Iyengarii and Colpomenia sinousa.

Cumacea

1. Bodotria arenosa Goodsir, 1843

(Fig. 3f)

Material and measurements: Most common. Females: 2.1 - 4.0 mm, Males: 3.0 - 5.2 mm.

Colour: Off white.

Habitat: Lives on all types of algae, more commonly on Colpomenia sinousa, Padina pavonica and Ulva fasciata.

Tanaidacea

1. Tanaid sp. undet.

(Fig. 4a)

Material and measurements: Not very common.

Habitat: Lives on Ulva sp.

Remarks: Typical Tanaid, small and slender, with distinct black-pigmented eyes. To distinguish between species of Tanaid is notoriously difficult (Larsen, 2002; Larsen and Froufe, 2013). Polymorphic males and ontogenetic variation present the most serious problems as regards intra-specific variation, while females display a cryptic nature in almost all species.

Brachyura

1. Acanthonyx inglei Tirmizi and Kazmi, 1988

(Fig. 4b)

Material and measurements: Very abundant. Females: cl. 3.0 - 20 mm, cb. 1.8 - 15 mm, Males: cl. 5.0 - 25 mm, cb. 3.0 - 17 mm.

Colour: Colour matches to algae from brown to olive green; small specimen off white.

Habitat: Lives on Ulva fasciata, Caulerpa taxifolia, Padina pavonica, Sargassum virgatum, Spathoglossum variabile, Gracilariopsis andersonii.

2. Acanthonyx limbatus Milne-Edwards, 1862

(Fig. 4d)

Material and measurements: Found in small numbers. Females: cl. 4.5 - 9.0 mm, cb. 3.0 - 7.0 mm, Males: cl. 6.0 - 11 mm, cb. 4.2 - 9.5 mm.

Colour: According to colour of algae from brown to green.

Habitat: Lives on Ulva fasciata, Sargassum virgatum, Padina pavonica, Sargassum swartzii, Stockeyia indica, Spathoglossum variabile and Colpomenia sinousa.

Caridea

1. Hippolyte ventricosa Milne-Edwards, 1837

(Fig. 4c)

Material and measurements: A small number of females only measuring cl+r 4 - 5 mm.

Colour: Green or dark brown, according to the colour of algae.

Habitat: Lives on Bryopsis plumosa, Padina pavonica, Stockeyia indica, Spatoglossum variabile and Sargassum swartzii.

 

2. Palaemon pacificus Stimpson, 1860

(Fig. 4e)

Material and measurements: Small numbers of females: cl+r. 3.2 - 4.5 mm.

Colour: Red colour with pinkish dots.

Habitat: Lives on Codium iyengarii, Ulva fasciata, Padina pavonica and Sargassum virgatum.

 

DISCUSSION

Species composition and relative abundance of crustacean fauna differed in the various algae (Table II). It was noted that basically a similar suite of crustaceans occurred on all plant species, faunal differences seen among algae were, however, due to the differences in the relative abundance of individual species on a particular organism.

The large size of seaweeds were collected during winter (present study), this may be one of the reason of abundant epifauna in winter found by Zehra et al. (1995).

 

 

The present studies show that amphipods, which formed the major bulk of the algal fauna being 36 and 59% at Manora and Buleji, respectively, also exhibited the greatest differences in algae (Figs. 5, 6). A few crustacean sp. showed strong algal prefere­nce. Maximum number of amphipod species occurred on Stockeyia indica and Odonthalia washingtonensis, eight species could be identified out of which six species at Manora and Buleji (Fig. 5a, 6a). Cymadusa filosa, Elasmopus pectinicrus, Pseudocaprellina pambensis and Hemiaegina minuta were the most common on all types of algae, Cyproidea ornata was found mostly on Sargassum virgatum and Stockeyia indica; Hemiaengia minuta occurred on Halimeda tuna, Sargassum virgatum and Stockeyia indica. For C. filosa the most common algal habitats were Sargassum dentifolium and Cystosaira crinite in the Red Sea (El-Sayed et al., 2014).

The isopods showed striking differences of 42 and 5 % in algal fauna at Manora and Buleji respectively (Fig. 5b, 6b); four isopods: Synidotea indicus, Atarbolana setosa, Cirolana manorae and Paraimen tuberculata were common on all types of algae. Paranthura latipes was less frequently found on the algal samples. Relative abundance of isopods on Stockeyia indica, Padina pavonica and Caulerpa taxifolia were higher than found on other algal samples.

Copepods were the next most common group comprising 25 and 38% of the total algal fauna at Manora and Buleji, respectively (Fig. 5c, 6c). Four copepods Sacodiscus littoralis, Laophonte cornuta, Porcellidium fimbriatum fimbriatum and Metamphiascopsis hirsutus were most common and found abundantly on all types of algae.

Ostracods comprised 0.72 and 0.25 % of the algal fauna at Manora and Buleji, respectively (Fig. 5d, 6d), had the highest differences among plants. Cylindroleberis bacescui and Ancohenia robusta both were abundant on all the algae.

Carideans were found in abundance (60 %) in the month of April at Buleji, 27% in the month of June at Manora (Fig. 5e, 6e); brachyurans 28% in the month of march at Buleji, 37% in November at Manora (Fig. 5f, 6f); cumaceans 34% in the month of April at Buleji, 25% in the month of May at Manora (Fig. 5g, 6g); and tenaidaceans were found in abundance (30 %) in the month of December at Buleji while 24 % during the month of August were found at Manora respectively (Fig. 5h, 6h). Tanaidaceans had low relative abundance of 0.66 and 0.38% at the two collection sites.

Statement of conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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