Article contents
Spatial and temporal patterns of abundance of the exotic mytilid Xenostrobus securis and the native mytilid Musculista senhousia in the Lake Hamana, Japan
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 May 2009
Abstract
On the basis of monthly sampling of benthic life stages after larval recruitment of native and exotic mytilids (Musculista senhousia and Xenostrobus securis) in Japan, we examined variations in the spatio-temporal distributions of these mytilids in the brackish Lake Hamana along the Pacific coast of central Japan. We found similarities in their life histories, e.g. the number and the occurrence and duration of cohorts. However, M. senhousia densities were much higher than X. securis (nearly three times on average). We detected a contrast between the spatial distributions of these two mytilids. This contrast may be related intimately to the characteristics of the bottom sediments: much higher densities of M. senhousia were detected on the sediments of fine sand/mud-mixed gravels, whereas higher densities of X. securis were detected on artificial flattened rocks. Difference in microhabitat separation for these two mytilids may contribute to avoiding interspecific interactions during the benthic stages and thus to allowing the coexistence of these two mytilids on estuarine tidal flats in the brackish Lake Hamana.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009
References
REFERENCES
- 10
- Cited by