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An Association between Hesione picta (Polychaeta: Hesionidae) and Ophionereis reticulata (Ophiuroidea: Ophionereididae) from the Brazilian Coast

2012; Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica; Volume: 51; Linguagem: Inglês

1810-522X

José Eriberto De Assis, Emerson de Azevedo, Silva Bezerra, Rafael Justino de Brito, Martín Lindsey Christoffersen, Anne Isabelley,

Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

Jose Eriberto De Assis, Emerson de Azevedo Silva Bezerra, Rafael Justino de Brito, Anne Isabelley Gondim, and Martin Lindsey Christoffersen (2012) An association between Hesione picta (Polychaeta: Hesionidae) and Ophionereis reticulata (Ophiuroidea: Ophionereididae) from the Brazilian coast. Zoological Studies 51(6): 762-767. This paper is the 1st report on the association between Hesione picta and Ophionereis reticulata, based on specimens found in the southwestern Atlantic, State of Paraiba, Brazil. The associated partners were found under rocks during low tide. We studied 30 specimens of O. reticulata, which harbored 30 hesionids. Observations of animals in aquaria showed that the polychaete responded to the presence of the ophiuroid, slowly crawling until it touched the latter. After recognizing its partner, the polychaete remained in its habitual position on the aboral surface of the ophiuroid, as also observed in the natural environment. On the other hand, when the hesionid was placed with other ophiuroid species which coexist at the same locality, the animals withdrew from each other. http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/51.6/762.pdf