Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seasonal variation in sub-tropical Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) on Okinawa–jima, Japan

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biodiversity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Commensal leucothoid amphipods make up a large component of coral reef ecosystems, yet little is known about their ecology. Monthly coral rubble samples were collected at Toguchi Beach and Sunabe Seawall on Okinawa–jima Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago between September 2010 and August 2011. Comparison of the numbers of leucothoid amphipods collected reveals a seasonal pattern. Numbers of Leucothoidae are highest in autumn and winter months, with members of the anamixid clade (genera Anamixis and Paranamixis) dominating samples in the autumn and members of the leucothoid clade (genus Leucothoe) dominating samples in the winter. This phase shift suggests that suitable sponge habitat is limited in the coral rubble. Leucothoid amphipods reproduce year round, yet the main reproductive period appears to occur in the autumn and winter months. Overall, the results indicate seasonal patterns and movement in Leucothoidae species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Biernbaum CK (1981) Seasonal changes in the amphipod fauna of Microciona proliera (Ellis and Solander) (Porifera: Demospongia) and associated sponges in a shallow salt-marsh creek. Estuaries 4:85–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enochs IC, Toth LT, Brandtneris VW, Afflerback JC, Manzello DP (2011) Environmental determinants of motile cryptofauna on an eastern Pacific coral reef. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 438:105–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn MN, Tararam AS, Wakabara Y (1996) Effects of habitat complexity on the structure of macrobenthic association in a Spartina alterniflora marsh. Rev Bras Oceanogr 44:9–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn MN, Wakabara Y, Tararam AS (1998) Macrobenthic associations of the lower and upper marshes of a tidal flat colonized by Spartina alterniflora in Cananéia Lagoon estuarine region (Southeastern Brazil). Bull Mar Sci 63(2):427–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Kneib RT (1984) Patterns of invertebrate distribution and abundance in the intertidal salt marsh: causes and questions. Estuaries 7(4A):392–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lana PC, Guiss C (1991) Influence of Spartina alterniflora on the structure and temporal variability of macrobenthic associations in a tidal flat of Paranaguá Bay (southeastern Brazil). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 73:231–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leach WE (1814) Crustaceaology. In: Brewster D (ed) The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Blackwood, Edinburgh, 7(2), pp 383–437

  • Lim SC, de Voogd NJ, Tan KS (2012) Biodiversity of shallow-water sponges (Porifera) in Singapore and a description of a new species of Forcepia (Poeciloclerida: Coelosphaeridae). Contr Zool 81:55–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Longo C, Mastrotaro F, Corriero G (2007) Occurrence of Paraleucilla magna (Porifera: Calcarea) in the Mediterranean Sea. J Mar Biol Ass UK 87:1749–1755

    Google Scholar 

  • Russo AR (1989) Fluctuations of epiphytal Gammaridean amphipods and their seaweed hosts on an Hawaiian algal reef. Crustaceana 57(1):25–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schellenberg A (1938) Litorale Amphipoden des tropischen Pazifiks nach Sammlungen von Prof. Bock (Stockholm), Prof. Dahl (Berlin) und Prof. Pietschmann (Wein). K Sven Vetensk Akad Handl Ser 3, 16(6):1–105

  • Stebbing TRR (1897) Amphipods from the Copenhagen Museum and other sources. Trans Linn Soc Lond 7:25–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stebbing TRR (1899) Revision of Amphipoda (continued). Ann Mag Nat Hist, ser 7, 4: 205–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Subrahmanyam CB, Kruczynski WL, Drake SH (1976) Studies on the animal communities in two North Florida salt marshes Part II. Macroinvertebrate communities. Bull Mar Sci 26(2):172–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Tararam AS, Wakabara Y (1981) The mobile fauna-especially Gammaridea-of Sargassum cymosum. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 5:157–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thiel M (2000) Population and reproductive biology of two sibling amphipod species from ascidians and sponges. Mar Biol 137:661–674

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas JD (1997) Systematics, ecology, and phylogeny of the Anamixidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Rec Austr Mus 49:35–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas JD, Klebba KN (2007) New species and host associations of commensal leucothoid amphipods from coral reefs in Florida and Belize (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Zootaxa 1494:1–44

    Google Scholar 

  • White KN (2011a) Caribbean Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Panama. Gulf Caribb Res 23:23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • White KN (2011b) A taxonomic review of the Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Zootaxa 3078:1–113

    Google Scholar 

  • White KN, Reimer JD (2012a) Commensal Leucothoidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, Part I: ascidian-dwellers. Zookeys 163:13–55. doi:10.3897/zookeys163.2003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White KN, Reimer JD (2012b) Commensal Leucothoidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, Part II: sponge-dwellers. Zookeys 166:1–58. doi:10.3897/zookeys.166.2313

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White KN, Reimer JD (2012c) Commensal Leucothoidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, Part III: coral rubble-dwellers. Zookeys 173:11–50. doi:10.3897/zookeys.173.2498

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White KN, Reimer JD (2012d) DNA phylogeny of Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Contr Zool 81(3) (in press)

  • White KN, Thomas JD (2009) Leucothoidae. In: Lowry JK, Myers AA (eds) Amphipoda (Crustacea: Peracarida) of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Zootaxa 2260: 494–555

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank J.D. Reimer for his support throughout this research in the Ryukyu Archipelago and for editing this manuscript and N.S. White for assistance with collections. Comments from two anonymous reviewers greatly improved the manuscript. The Rising Star Program at the University of the Ryukyus provided laboratory space and logistical support. Funding was provided by a Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellowship (#P10711).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rising Star Program, Trans-disciplinary Organization for Subtropical Island Studies (TRO-SIS), University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Kristine N. White

Authors
  1. Kristine N. White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristine N. White.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

White, K.N. Seasonal variation in sub-tropical Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) on Okinawa–jima, Japan. Mar Biodiv 42, 453–457 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-012-0123-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-012-0123-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation