Mimachlamys varia (Mollusca, Bivalvia) epibiontic on Galathea strigosa (Decapoda, Galatheidae) in the North Adriatic Sea
In: Crustaceana. Brill Academic Publishers: Leiden; Köln; New York; Boston. ISSN 0011-216X; e-ISSN 1568-5403, more
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| Abstract |
Fifty-six specimens of Mimachlamys varia epibiontic on a single specimen of Galathea strigose are reported from the North Adriatic Sea. Their size suggests the specimens are from a few days to a maximum of 3 months old after metamorphosis. The main advantage for the epibiont is a suitable hard substratum for settling on an otherwise unsuitable soft substratum, while the main disadvantage is that the periodic moultings of the crab allow only a few months of settling. However, Mimachlamys is able to release its byssus, swim, and settle elsewhere. Due to the small size of the epibionts, neither advantages nor disadvantages for the basibiont could be recognized. |
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