<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Hi
Sam, we work nearby. See the paper below, it may be of your interest. Regards,
Salva<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Intertidal
facilitation and indirect effects: causes and consequences of crawling in the
New Zealand cockle <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Author(s):
Mouritsen KN <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Source:
MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES Volume: 271 Pages: 207-220 Published:
2004 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> Abstract:
Bioturbation by the ghost shrimp <i>Callianassa filholi</i> and the lugworms <b><i><u>Abarenicola
affinis</u></i></b> as well as coverage by macroalgae cause the New Zealand
cockle <i>Austrovenus stutchburyi</i> (Veneridae) to relocate by crawling
longer distances on the sediment surface. On the surface, the cockles become
targets for sublethal predation by benthic-feeding fishes, which crop off their
feet. This renders the cockles unable to bury for up to 8 wk, thus exposing
them to a 5-fold higher predation pressure from shorebirds and the whelk <i>Cominella
glandiformis</i> than buried conspecifics. Shell dimensions, foot size, general
condition, gender, age, and infections by gymnophallid trematodes do not
influence the crawling activity of cockles. However, heavy infection by the
digenean trematode <i>Curtuteria australis</i> and the shell-boring spionid
polychaete Boccardia acus reduces the distance travelled, and these organisms
may hence reinforce the impact of the biogenic disturbers by forcing repeated
crawling of the cockles to reach an undisturbed site. The presence of biogenic
disturbers and some parasites therefore benefits predating fishes by providing
them with an otherwise inaccessible food source, and these in turn benefit
birds and whelks through foot-cropping, thus increasing the availability of
prey. The gymnophallids also receive an advantage through transmission success
to their definitive shorebird hosts. The question as to whether <i>Curtuteria
australis</i> benefits, depends on the balance between its loss to fishes
(unsuitable hosts) and its increased trophic transmission to its bird hosts.
The spionid <i>B</i>,<i> acus</i> on the other hand is negatively affected,
since its fate is linked to that of its substrate, which is the shell of the
cockle. If the cockle is predated, the attached <i>B. acus</i> will perish
also.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I am currently working on a PhD at Flinders University South
Australia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Part of my research involves identifying potential
polychaete species for use in aquaculture for the bait market.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Last weekend I discovered what appears to be an Abareincolid
sp. in a mangrove area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>A search of the glorious ‘web’ has only revealed
that they are found in NZ, South Africa etc. and some general information
about the genus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Does anyone have ANY information about Australian
Abarenicolids, possible species, biology etc.?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Wilson, Hutchings and Glasby key ID as probably <i>Abarenicola
affinis affinis</i> or <i>A. affinis clarkii</i> based on simple external features,
the number of chaetae with branchiae (13) and the first branchiate chaetiger
(7).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I have only used external features as I don’t want to
dissect them until I have more in my collection!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Is there any reference to either of these species being found
in South Australia?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I look forward to any replies and thank you in advance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:3.0pt;text-autospace:none'><b><i><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>Great spirits have
always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds</span></i></b><b><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'> ~ Albert Einstein </span></b><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
