After the regression and loss of Z. marina meadows in the northern Alboran Sea,
a concurrent regression of the epifauna was detected, as well as changes in the
structure of the infauna, with an increase in the densities of some species of bivalves
(e.g. Moerella distorta, Chamelea gallina) (Rueda et al. 2009b).
9.6.2.2 Cymodocea nodosa Meadows
Apart from lagoon environments, Cymodocea meadows are most developed in the
eastern part of the Alboran Sea, particularly in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park
(García Raso et al. 1992; Luque and Templado 2004). In the western part,
Cymodocea is patchier and may even settle on hard bottoms, as it does in the
Calahonda (Málaga) Special Area of Conservation (García Raso et al. 2010;
Mateo-Ramírez and García Raso 2012).
About 200 species have been documented in Cymodocea nodosa of the northern
Alboran Sea (Luque and Templado 2004). Some studies of deep meadows of
C. nodosa from the coasts of Almería (10–15 m) have documented 59 fish species,
dominated by Symphodus cinereus, Bothus podas and Syngnathus abaster; 54 species of molluscs, dominated by Rissoa monodonta, R. membranacea, Gibbula
leucophaea, Smaragdia viridis and Tricolia tenuis (Marina et al. 2012); and 48 species of decapods, dominated by Hippolyte niezabitowskii, H holthuisi and H. inermis
(García Raso et al. 2006). In shallow Cymodocea meadows, the specific richness is
lower, with dominant species such as the decapods Hippolyte leptocerus or
Hippolyte garciarasoi (Mateo-Ramírez and García Raso 2012) or the molluscs
Tritia donovani, T. cuvierii and Smaragdia viridis. Echinoderms can be abundant
in these meadows, but the species present are often those typical of soft bottoms
(Ophiura ophiura, Astropecten spp., Echinocardium mediterraneum) (Luque and
Templado 2004) or of neighbouring hard bottoms (Holothuria spp.). During the
night, there is a flux of species from the adjacent unvegetated sedimentary bottom
(García Raso et al. 2006), such as Processa modica, P. macrophthalma and
P. edulis, crabs of the genus Liocarcinus (L. navigator and especially juveniles of
L. vernalis), Portunus hastatus, the armoured shrimp Sicyonia carinata and species
of the genus Philocheras, such as P. bispinosus, or from the nearby macroalgal
bottoms, such as the prawn Eualus cranchii and juveniles of the spider crabs
Macropodia rostrata and Maja spp.
Therefore, the number of species associated with the leaf stratum of C. nodosa
increases during the night, drawing from adjacent bottoms, with the presence of
different species of fish (e.g. sparids) or decapods (e.g. Processa modica and
Palaemon xiphias, García Raso et al. 2006; Marina et al. 2012). On the other
hand, a positive relationship between the abundance and the specific richness of
different groups of crustaceans has been documented with the biomass or complexity
of the seagrass (number of leaves and density of shots) (González et al. 2008; MateoRamírez and García Raso 2012).
Information on other groups such as peracarid crustaceans, polychaetes or echinoderms is very scarce for C. nodosa meadows of the Alboran Sea (Luque and
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
325
a concurrent regression of the epifauna was detected, as well as changes in the
structure of the infauna, with an increase in the densities of some species of bivalves
(e.g. Moerella distorta, Chamelea gallina) (Rueda et al. 2009b).
9.6.2.2 Cymodocea nodosa Meadows
Apart from lagoon environments, Cymodocea meadows are most developed in the
eastern part of the Alboran Sea, particularly in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park
(García Raso et al. 1992; Luque and Templado 2004). In the western part,
Cymodocea is patchier and may even settle on hard bottoms, as it does in the
Calahonda (Málaga) Special Area of Conservation (García Raso et al. 2010;
Mateo-Ramírez and García Raso 2012).
About 200 species have been documented in Cymodocea nodosa of the northern
Alboran Sea (Luque and Templado 2004). Some studies of deep meadows of
C. nodosa from the coasts of Almería (10–15 m) have documented 59 fish species,
dominated by Symphodus cinereus, Bothus podas and Syngnathus abaster; 54 species of molluscs, dominated by Rissoa monodonta, R. membranacea, Gibbula
leucophaea, Smaragdia viridis and Tricolia tenuis (Marina et al. 2012); and 48 species of decapods, dominated by Hippolyte niezabitowskii, H holthuisi and H. inermis
(García Raso et al. 2006). In shallow Cymodocea meadows, the specific richness is
lower, with dominant species such as the decapods Hippolyte leptocerus or
Hippolyte garciarasoi (Mateo-Ramírez and García Raso 2012) or the molluscs
Tritia donovani, T. cuvierii and Smaragdia viridis. Echinoderms can be abundant
in these meadows, but the species present are often those typical of soft bottoms
(Ophiura ophiura, Astropecten spp., Echinocardium mediterraneum) (Luque and
Templado 2004) or of neighbouring hard bottoms (Holothuria spp.). During the
night, there is a flux of species from the adjacent unvegetated sedimentary bottom
(García Raso et al. 2006), such as Processa modica, P. macrophthalma and
P. edulis, crabs of the genus Liocarcinus (L. navigator and especially juveniles of
L. vernalis), Portunus hastatus, the armoured shrimp Sicyonia carinata and species
of the genus Philocheras, such as P. bispinosus, or from the nearby macroalgal
bottoms, such as the prawn Eualus cranchii and juveniles of the spider crabs
Macropodia rostrata and Maja spp.
Therefore, the number of species associated with the leaf stratum of C. nodosa
increases during the night, drawing from adjacent bottoms, with the presence of
different species of fish (e.g. sparids) or decapods (e.g. Processa modica and
Palaemon xiphias, García Raso et al. 2006; Marina et al. 2012). On the other
hand, a positive relationship between the abundance and the specific richness of
different groups of crustaceans has been documented with the biomass or complexity
of the seagrass (number of leaves and density of shots) (González et al. 2008; MateoRamírez and García Raso 2012).
Information on other groups such as peracarid crustaceans, polychaetes or echinoderms is very scarce for C. nodosa meadows of the Alboran Sea (Luque and
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
325