mediterranea among the main species. The high abundance of Sphaerosyllis hystrix
and S. austriaca in this habitat seems to be related to the relatively simple structure of
the fronds that did not allow larger predatory species to settle (López and Gallego
2006). Sánchez-Moyano et al. (2002) cited the polychaetes Platynereis dumerilii,
S. hystrix, S. prolifera and A. mediterranea as abundant species among H. scoparia
in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Ellisolandia elongata is a calcifying macroalga that occurs in both the lower
horizons of the intertidal zone and the upper infralittoral. Its fronds are smaller
compared to those of H. scoparia, and consequently the invertebrate assemblage is
less diverse (Guerra-García et al. 2009a). Crustaceans of this community were
studied in detail and are characterized by the caprellids Caprella hirsuta,
C. penantis and C. grandimana; the amphipods Protohyale schmidti, Hyale
stebbingi, Jassa marmorata, Stenothoe monoculoides and Ampithoe spp.; as well
as the isopod Ischyromene lacazei and the tanaid Tanais dulongii (Guerra-García
and Izquierdo 2010; Izquierdo and Guerra-García 2011). The peracarid communities
around the Strait of Gibraltar (including European and African locations) show
similar values of abundance and species richness (Guerra-García et al. 2009a).
There are some studies about the invertebrate fauna associated with invasive
algae such as Asparagopsis armata. The crustacean communities associated with
this species are dominated in terms of species richness and abundance by amphipods, being the most abundant species C. penantis and P. schmidti, Podocerus
variegatus and A. mediterranea (Pacios et al. 2011; Soler-Hurtado and GuerraGarcía 2011). Other groups such as isopods (Paranthura costana and Stenosoma
acuminatum), tanaids (Tanais dulongii) and decapods (four species, with Pilumnus
hirtellus and Acanthonyx lunulatus as dominant species) are poorly represented
(Pacios et al. 2011; Soler-Hurtado and Guerra-García 2011) compared to brown
algae. In the Strait of Gibraltar, Pacios et al. (2011) found 41 crustacean species
(18 gammarids, 7 caprellids, 10 isopods, 3 tanaidaceans and 3 decapods). These
studies suggest that species richness of crustaceans associated with A. armata is
comparable with that of the native intertidal algae species, but changes on the
abundance of some species occur. Nevertheless, another study conducted in the
coast of Málaga and Granada highlighted that the invasive macroalgae Asparagopsis
taxiformis hosted an impoverished peracarid assemblage (both in terms of abundance and species richness) in comparison to that associated with the sympatric
native H. scoparia (Navarro-Barranco et al. 2018).
Most of the species found among photophilous algae in the Alboran Sea display
an Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution, but in the western part, thermophilous West
African elements such as Modiolus lulat and Cochlis vittata can occur (García Raso
et al. 2010). The composition of the assemblages may vary according to hydrodynamic conditions, sedimentation rate and algal morphology (Sánchez-Moyano and
García-Gómez 1998; Sánchez-Moyano et al. 2001a, 2002).
Some components of the community, such as molluscs, present a marked seasonal relationship with the vegetative cycle of the algae (Urra et al. 2013a). Others,
such as decapods, move between adjacent habitats (e.g. C. nodosa) inducing
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
303
and S. austriaca in this habitat seems to be related to the relatively simple structure of
the fronds that did not allow larger predatory species to settle (López and Gallego
2006). Sánchez-Moyano et al. (2002) cited the polychaetes Platynereis dumerilii,
S. hystrix, S. prolifera and A. mediterranea as abundant species among H. scoparia
in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Ellisolandia elongata is a calcifying macroalga that occurs in both the lower
horizons of the intertidal zone and the upper infralittoral. Its fronds are smaller
compared to those of H. scoparia, and consequently the invertebrate assemblage is
less diverse (Guerra-García et al. 2009a). Crustaceans of this community were
studied in detail and are characterized by the caprellids Caprella hirsuta,
C. penantis and C. grandimana; the amphipods Protohyale schmidti, Hyale
stebbingi, Jassa marmorata, Stenothoe monoculoides and Ampithoe spp.; as well
as the isopod Ischyromene lacazei and the tanaid Tanais dulongii (Guerra-García
and Izquierdo 2010; Izquierdo and Guerra-García 2011). The peracarid communities
around the Strait of Gibraltar (including European and African locations) show
similar values of abundance and species richness (Guerra-García et al. 2009a).
There are some studies about the invertebrate fauna associated with invasive
algae such as Asparagopsis armata. The crustacean communities associated with
this species are dominated in terms of species richness and abundance by amphipods, being the most abundant species C. penantis and P. schmidti, Podocerus
variegatus and A. mediterranea (Pacios et al. 2011; Soler-Hurtado and GuerraGarcía 2011). Other groups such as isopods (Paranthura costana and Stenosoma
acuminatum), tanaids (Tanais dulongii) and decapods (four species, with Pilumnus
hirtellus and Acanthonyx lunulatus as dominant species) are poorly represented
(Pacios et al. 2011; Soler-Hurtado and Guerra-García 2011) compared to brown
algae. In the Strait of Gibraltar, Pacios et al. (2011) found 41 crustacean species
(18 gammarids, 7 caprellids, 10 isopods, 3 tanaidaceans and 3 decapods). These
studies suggest that species richness of crustaceans associated with A. armata is
comparable with that of the native intertidal algae species, but changes on the
abundance of some species occur. Nevertheless, another study conducted in the
coast of Málaga and Granada highlighted that the invasive macroalgae Asparagopsis
taxiformis hosted an impoverished peracarid assemblage (both in terms of abundance and species richness) in comparison to that associated with the sympatric
native H. scoparia (Navarro-Barranco et al. 2018).
Most of the species found among photophilous algae in the Alboran Sea display
an Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution, but in the western part, thermophilous West
African elements such as Modiolus lulat and Cochlis vittata can occur (García Raso
et al. 2010). The composition of the assemblages may vary according to hydrodynamic conditions, sedimentation rate and algal morphology (Sánchez-Moyano and
García-Gómez 1998; Sánchez-Moyano et al. 2001a, 2002).
Some components of the community, such as molluscs, present a marked seasonal relationship with the vegetative cycle of the algae (Urra et al. 2013a). Others,
such as decapods, move between adjacent habitats (e.g. C. nodosa) inducing
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
303