Growth of the Antarctic octocoral Primnoella scotiae and predation by the anemone Dactylanthus antarcticus

Peck, Lloyd S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3479-6791; Brockington, Simon. 2013 Growth of the Antarctic octocoral Primnoella scotiae and predation by the anemone Dactylanthus antarcticus. Deep Sea Research II, 92. 73-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.024

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Abstract/Summary

Growth rates in Antarctic marine ectotherms have been demonstrated to be slowed by two to five times compared to shallow-water temperate species, with no previous reports for octocorals. Here growth rates were estimated in the single axis, non-branching Antarctic octocoral Primnoella scotiae using repeated in situ length measures covering both summer and winter periods, for tagged colonies from three sites at Signy Island over a two year period. Mean rates of length increase at the different sites ranged from 0.96 mm yr−1 to 55.3 mm yr−1. The fastest individual colony growth rate at any site ranged from 2.55 mm yr−1 to 175.6 mm yr−1. The mean of the fastest growth rates across all sites was 33.0 mm yr−1±14.7 (s.e.). Growth was significantly different between sites, and also between seasons and years. The mean overall increase in diameter of the average sized colony in the study (222.5 mm in axis length) was 0.053 mm yr−1. This is the slowest reported growth rate of any octocoral to date, and is five times slower than growth in most cold water octocorals. During the study it was noted that colonies were being attacked and consumed by the anemone Dactylanthus antarcticus. At one of the sites studied, between 5% and 8% of colonies surveyed were attacked each month. Anemone dispersal was via whole body inflation and drifting to new prey colonies that were attached to using tentacle-like column protuberances.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.024
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems
ISSN:	0967-0645
Additional Keywords:	temperature, cnidarian, season, Signy Island, length, weight, biomass, Low temperature; Polar; Seasonality; Mark-recapture; Density; Coastal
Date made live:	31 Aug 2012 09:21 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/19410

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.024

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems

ISSN:

0967-0645

Additional Keywords:

temperature, cnidarian, season, Signy Island, length, weight, biomass, Low temperature; Polar; Seasonality; Mark-recapture; Density; Coastal

Date made live:

31 Aug 2012 09:21 +0 (UTC)