%0 Journal Article
%T Cryptobiota associated to dead Acropora palmata (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) coral, Isla Grande, Colombian Caribbean
%A Silvia K. Moreno-Forero
%A Gabriel R. Navas S.
%A O.David Solano
%J Revista de Biolog赤a Tropical
%D 1998
%I Universidad de Costa Rica
%X Cryptobiota of dead fragments of five branches in live position and five fallen pieces of the coral Acropora palmata each one of approximate 1dm3, covered by filamentous algae were extracted from the north reef crest of Isla Grande (Colombian Caribbean), in April 1991. There were three groups of organisms according to size and position (on and within the coral): 1) mobile epibenthos, mainly microcrustaceans that live among the filamentous algae 2) boring microcryptobiota, located in the layer between the epilithic organisms and the coral skeleton itself and, 3) perforating macrocryptobionts that bore and penetrate the coral skeleton. Polychaetes, sipuncu-lids, mollusks and crustaceans were most abundant in the last group. There were no differences in macrocryptobiont composition between standing dead branches and fallen fragments. There was a large variation in total biomass and type and density of macro-cryptobionts, possibly associated to stochastic factors such as placement and thickness of branches and small scale variations in recruitment La criptobiota de diez fragmentos coralinos muertos de Acropora palmata, de 10 dm3 cada uno, cubiertos de algas filamentosas, se colect車 en abril de 1991en la cresta arrecifal de Isla Grande (Caribe colombiano). Se hall車 tres grupos: 1) m車viles epibent車nicos asociados a las algas filamentosas y conformados principalmente por microcrust芍ceos; 2) microcriptobiontes perforantes, ubicados en la capa intermedia entre los organismos epil赤ticos y el esqueleto del coral y 3) macrocriptobiontes que perforan todo el cuerpo del esqueleto coralino (principalmente poliquetos, sipunc迆lidos, moluscos y crust芍ceos). No se encontraron diferencias en la composici車n de los macrocriptobiontes que habitan los corales en posici車n de vida y los fragmentos caidos sobre el fondo. Se present車 una amplia variaci車n en biomasa total, tipo y densidad de macrocriptobiontes, posiblemente asociada a factores estoc芍sticos tales como la ubicaci車n y grosor de las ramas, y variaciones del reclutamiento a peque a escala.
%K Cryptobiota
%K Acropora palmata
%K dead coral
%K epibenthon
%K Colombian Caribb
%U http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77441998000200007