The barnacles of Astreopora (Cirripedia, Pyrgomatini/Scleractinia, Acroporidae): Organization plans, host specificity, species-richness and geographic range

Yair Achituv, William A. Newman

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9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Four genera and seven species of Indo-West Pacific coral-inhabiting barnacles (Tribe Pyrgomatini, 13 genera) associated with Astreopora de Blainville, 1830 (Family Acroporidae, four genera) were investigated. These include: (1) four species of Cantellius; (2) Cionophora soongi Ross and Newman, 1999 from Taiwan; (3) C. guillaumae sp. nov. described herein from New Caledonia; and (4) the presumably monotypic Hiroa stubbingsi Ross and Newman, 1973. Of these, Hiroa Ross and Newman, 1973, Cionophora Ross and Newman, 1999, and perhaps an undescribed genus (K. Ogawa, in. litt.), apparently occur exclusively on Astreopora. Hypotheses involving the biogeography and evolution of pyrgomatids include statistical inferences that relatively generalized genera tend (1) to inhabit a greater variety of host corals, (2) to be more species-rich, and (3) to have greater geographical ranges than more specialized genera (Hiro, 1938; Ross and Newman, 1973; Newman et al., 1976; Ogawa and Matsuzuki, 1992). Hiroa, a moderately specialized and presumably monotypic pyrgomatine restricted to Astreopora, appears to represent an exception to the first two hypotheses. Is there a plausible explanation for this enigma? Successful exploitation of Astreopora by Hiroa, which has a modified but basically primitive wall and a relatively unspecialized operculum, may have left it ill-equipped to occupy other corals which were subsequently invaded by more advanced pyrgomatines. On the other hand, Cionophora, which differs from Hiroa in not only being much smaller but in having a coalesced wall as well as opercular plates, can hardly be so restricted for the opposite reason. To the contrary, it follows the general rule that highly modified forms tend to be limited in the variety of hosts they occupy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)391-406
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Natural History
Volume36
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Mar 2002

Keywords

  • Astreopora
  • Barnacles
  • Cirripedia
  • Corals
  • Hosts pecificity
  • Pyrgomatinea
  • Species-richness
  • Zoogeograpy

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