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Population size structure, asexual reproduction, and somatic growth estimates of the non-indigenous brittle star Ophiothela mirabilis (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) on the southeastern coast of Brazil

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Abstract

The ophiuroid Ophiothela mirabilis Verrill, 1867 is a potentially invasive non-indigenous species on the Brazilian coast. Here, we describe the population size structure and the asexual reproduction of this species and estimate its somatic growth in two localities within a distance of 300 km from each other: Angra dos Reis and Armação dos Búzios. Specimens associated with two different host sponges were collected monthly from both sites over 18 months and classified into three categories: individuals with whole discs, regenerating discs, and split discs. Of all specimens collected, 59.6% had whole discs, 23.7% had regenerating discs, and 16.8% had split discs. No evidence of recruitment through larval settlement was found and fission occurred throughout the year. Therefore, asexual reproduction seems to be the main mechanism for population maintenance and growth. The highest frequency of smaller specimens (region delimited by adoral shields < 0.8 mm) was associated with the highest ophiuroid density (1.78 ± 0.63 ind ml−1 of sponge tissue), which was recorded in population from Angra dos Reis. The asymptotic size was similar in the two populations: 1.184 mm in Angra dos Reis and 1.200 mm in Armação dos Búzios. The growth rates were estimated using length-frequency analysis. For the Angra dos Reis population, the growth rate estimate was 1.71 mm year−1, while for the Armação dos Búzios population was 2.21 mm year−1.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the research team of the Echinodermata Laboratory of the Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ) for their help in our lab and field activities. We thank Cássio Reis (MN/UFRJ) for identifying the host sponges and Dr. Guilherme Muricy (MN/UFRJ) for his critical comments on the early draft of the manuscript. We are also grateful to the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) for giving permit for sampling (number 13784-1).

Funding

The authors are grateful to the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) for the scholarship to support M. R. Tavares’ research project (E-26/100.688/2012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Invertebrados, Laboratório de Echinodermata, Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ), Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20940-040, Brazil

    Marcela Rosa Tavares & Carlos Renato Rezende Ventura

  2. Departamento de Ecologia e Recursos Marinhos, IBIO, sala 410, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Av. Pasteur, 458, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22290-240, Brazil

    Paulo Alberto Silva Costa

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  1. Marcela Rosa Tavares
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Correspondence to Carlos Renato Rezende Ventura.

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The necessary permit for sampling has been obtained by the authors from the competent authorities as mentioned in the acknowledgements.

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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Communicated by S. Stöhr

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Tavares, M.R., Costa, P.A.S. & Ventura, C.R.R. Population size structure, asexual reproduction, and somatic growth estimates of the non-indigenous brittle star Ophiothela mirabilis (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) on the southeastern coast of Brazil. Mar Biodiv 49, 1713–1725 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-019-00938-y

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