Potential implications of harvesting ornamental sabellids from coral reefs
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8/13/2019 Potential implications of harvesting ornamental sabellids from coral reefs
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Potential implications of harvesting ornamental sabellids
from coral reefsMurray J. M. 1,2and Bonner, A. J. 3.
1. Cefas, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT. [email protected]
2. C3 Philippines, Barangay Salvacion, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines [email protected]
3. Flint Cottage, Norton Subcourse, Norfolk, NR14 6RS .
Results
Collection and implication Conclusions
References
MotivationCollection of live invertebrates from coral reefs has increased dramatically in response to the
growing marine aquarium industry and currently, more than 500 species (excluding corals) aretraded. Sessile and conspicuous species have been highlighted as a riskgroupdue to the potentialimpacts of over-collection. Ornamental fan worms such as sabellids are routinely traded and at
present, all specimens are collected from wild sources. Sabellids build their own mucoid-sediment
tubes which attaches to the surrounding reef framework. Very little is known about their population
ecology and therefore an assessment of the likely impact of their removal to the surrounding coralreef community is difficult. The Philippines is one of the biggest exporters of the marine aquarium
trade and was used as a case study to investigate the population ecology of ornamental sabellids.
[1] Hill & Wilkinson, 2004. Methods For Ecological Monitoring Of Coral Reefs : A Resource For Managers.Version 1. Australian Institute of Marine Science ( AIMS), Townsville, Australia. 117 p.[2] MurrayJ, Watson G, Bentley M, Giangrande A (2012) Managing the marine aquarium trade: revealingthe data gaps using ornamental polychaetes. PLoS One, 7 (1). e29543. ISSN 1932-6203
10.1371/journal.pone.0029543.[3] MurrayJ.M, Watson GJ, Bentley MG, Giangrande A (2013) Regeneration as a novel method to culturemarine ornamental sabellids. Aquaculture,410-411, 129-137.
Sabellid distribution and density
Associated habitat type
Methods
Sabellid population dynamics
Population densities of sabellids were quantified
at each site using five 25m long invertebrate belt
transects with a 2m cross line [1]. Swimming
observers spent at least 25 minutes search timealong each belt transect and recorded: a count;
genus-level identification; position in meters along
the transect; a measurement of each specimens
branchial crown in cm; and a description of thehabitat/coral species with which the specimen
was associated.
Study area and site selection
Fig 1. Location mapof Busuanga Island and survey locations.
Figure 2a, b, c, d. Species from
the genus Sabellastarte . Figure
2e, f, g. Bispira sp Figure 2h,
Megalomma sp. Figure 2i.
Sabellasp.
Two hundred and ninety nine individuals wereassessed across the 6 sites during this survey,
62% of which were recorded the Concpcion non-MPA site.
As the identification of sabellids is notoriously
problematic, worms were grouped based on
genus or possible genus (Fig. 2). The mostcommonly observed group was Sabellstarte
(Fig 2a, b, c, d), and is notably the most popular
ornamental group in the trade [2].
Crown diameter ranged from 150mm on thesmallest individuals but up to 600mm in the
largest. A mean crown diameter of 380mm was
calculated, a smaller diameter than the average
size which is recorded in worms imported by themarine aquarium trade [3].
The municipality of Busuanga is part of the Calamaines Group of Islands located in thenorthernmost part of the province of Palawan in the Philippines (Fig 1). Six coral reef sites
located were selected; Conception MPA, Conception non-MPA, Black Island, Lajo, Maglalambay,and New Busuanga.
Sabellids were found to embedded within coral,
on coral rubble or buried within sandy substrate.
The majority, 49% of individuals, were
embedded within Mil lepora sp. (Fig 3a,b).Pori tes sp. also played host to sabellids with
37% of worms associated with this slow growing
coral (Fig 3c,d) and 18% were found attached to
other coral species including; Goniastrea sp.(Fig 3e,f) and Montipora sp. (Fig 3g,h). Only
14% or worms were on coral rubble(Fig 3i) and
6% in sand(Fig 3j).
a
e
Fig2.
dc
ba
ih
gf
dc
b
h
f
i
g
e
jFig3.
The majority of sabellids (88%) surveyed inBusuanga were found in close association with
species of coral.
Tubes were embedded within the coral with only
the branchial crown visible.Interviews with aquarium collectors established
that tube removal was achieved by inserting a
metal rod into the coral structure to release the
mucus attachment of the worm tube to the coral.
Preliminary analysis shows worms are attached to
slow growing and delicate coral species (eg. Porites
sp.).
Removal is a delicate procedure with both worms
and coral easily damaged.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=toSrhrLNuDIW_M&tbnid=B39FcmcBYQ5FAM:&ved=0CAgQjRwwAA&url=http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~csww500/&ei=jEXmUbaCKrON7AaUpIH4Bw&psig=AFQjCNHQVqBw_c9XOF-s7lJ001f-x5wGmg&ust=1374131980805451mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
