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Ciliated epibionts on the Arctic sympagic amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii as indicators for sympago–benthic coupling

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Abstract

In September 2003 specimens of the sympagic amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii were sampled in drifting pack ice above 50 m water depth and in the pelagic/benthic environment beneath in the coastal waters off Svalbard (Norway). Abundance values ranged between 1.5 and 8 individuals m−2 for the pelagic/benthic and the sympagic environments, respectively, and showed corresponding sex ratios of 1:1.4, favoring males. In the ice a significantly higher number of juveniles prevailed. In contrast, ovigerous females were more abundant among pelagic/benthic living specimens. Approximately 25% of the individuals hosted ciliated epibionts of the genera Ephelota, Cryptacineta, Acineta, Podophrya (all suctoria), and Epistylis (peritrichia). Cryptacineta and Ephelota were the most abundant epibionts on this amphipod species. Female specimens of G. wilkitzkii showed the highest degree of infestation (>2,100 individual epibionts per amphipod specimen: indE/A) followed by juveniles (>1,200 indE/A) and males (>220 indE/A). Highest densities of epibionts were found on anterior body parts with the antennae bearing up to 130 individuals. This is the first sighting of epibionts on crustacea from the sympagic environment. We interpret them as biomarkers that indicate the existence of sympago–benthic coupling processes between the ice and the underlying waters and the seafloor. The population structure and the proportion of infested specimens are equal for the amphipods sampled from both the sympagic and the pelagic/benthic environment, indicating the existence of exchange (coupling) processes between the two habitats. Considering the annual ice cycle, local ice drift patterns, and the shallow water depth in the sampling area, we hypothesize that ice amphipods spend ice-free periods near the seafloor where they may serve as basibionts for protozoans and eventually re-colonize the ice with the onset of ice formation. Our observations strongly emphasize that shallow coastal areas serve as both retention (rather than sink) areas for ice fauna during ice-free periods, and as stepping-stones for re-colonizing the ice when the ice is formed in winter.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the crew on R.V. “Jan Mayen,” The University Centre on Svalbard, and Total E & P for logistical and financial support. We further acknowledge the helpful comments given by one anonymous reviewer and I. Werner.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Centre on Svalbard, P.O. Box 156, 9170, Longyearbyen, Norway

    Carolin E Arndt & Jørgen Berge

  2. Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Pnta 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Gregorio Fernandez-Leborans

  3. Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Lena Seuthe & Bjørn Gulliksen

Authors
  1. Carolin E Arndt
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  2. Gregorio Fernandez-Leborans
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  3. Lena Seuthe
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  4. Jørgen Berge
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  5. Bjørn Gulliksen
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Correspondence to Carolin E Arndt.

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Communicated by M. Kühl, Helsingor

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Arndt, C.E., Fernandez-Leborans, G., Seuthe, L. et al. Ciliated epibionts on the Arctic sympagic amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii as indicators for sympago–benthic coupling. Marine Biology 147, 643–652 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-005-1599-4

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