Article
Potential dispersal mechanisms of the cr yptogenic anemone, Anemonia alicemartinae
Registro en:
Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 86
0716-078X
Autor
Neill, Paula
López, Daniela
Arancibia, Paulina
Resumen
Artículo de publicación ISI Anemonia alicemartinaevHäussermann & Försterra 2001 is a cr yptogenic species
(sensu Carlton 1996, i.e. of unknown origin), meaning that there is not enough evidence to discriminate whether it is native or introduced. Since its first record in northern Chile by Sebens & Paine (1979) as Actinia sp., its range of distribution has greatly expanded towards southern Chile during the last 50 years, currently covering over 1900 km of coastline (Häussermann & Försterra 2001, Castilla et al. 2005). Fission seems to be A. alicemartinae’s main mechanism of reproduction, likely compensating for the low abundance, or even absence, of fertile males in populations (Häussermann & Försterra 2001, Chen et al. 2008). Furthermore, this species has low substrata selectivity (Thiel & Gutow 2005) and a high capacity to detach and re-adhere to substrate (Häussermann & Försterra 2001). These traits, together with the possibility of individuals rafting while attached to floating substrates, could explain the rapid spread of A. alicemartinae by facilitating large scale movements, and ultimately the colonization of new sites.