Palomares-García, J.R., J.R., Morales-Ávila & R.J., Saldierna-Martínez (2022). Novel interaction between Microsetella norvegica (Copepoda) and Pleurobrachia bachei (Ctenophora) reveals micropredation, parasitism and protelean life cycle. International Conference on Copepoda 2022. Londres, Reino Unido, julio 25 - 30, 2023, 162.
José Ricardo Palomares-García 1, José Raúl Morales-Ávila 2 y Ricardo Javier Saldierna-Martínez 3
Despite the wide geographical distribution of Microsetella norvegica (Boeck, 1865) little is known regarding its interspecies interactions. In this work, we provide the first description of the interaction between the harpacticoid copepod & and the ctenophore (A. Agassiz, 1860) in the southeastern Gulf of California. Microsetella norvegica exhibits two remarkable trophic strategies during its life cycle. A parasitic phase, is supported since & undergoes ontogenetic changes from egg to latecopepodite in the mesoglea of the ctenophore. In contrast, adult females exhibited a short-time interaction with the ctenophore being consistent with a micropredator trophic strategy. Females occurred presumably fertilized (lacking egg-sac), ovigerous, and with egg-sacs just detached from the female genital segment. This suggests that females enter into the ctenophore’s mesoglea to release egg-sacs, and then leave the host to continue a free life where mating occur. Accordingly, we propose that & is able to exhibit protelean life history. Copepod low prevalence ranging from 0.01 to 0.4% and intensity from 1 to 3 adult females. Whereas, developmental stages from egg to copepodites reached up to 18 individuals per host. Density of was relatively high attaining up to 29.2 ind. 100 m–3. Positive correlation between abundance of ctenophores and copepods (r2= 0.6, p< 0.05) suggests a synchronization of the interaction, which was conspicuous during the coldest season at shallow sampling points with oligotrophic water characterized by low levels of Chlorophyll-a, and moderate oxygenated waters.
Palabras clave: Protelean life cycle; copepod; microdepredation
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