Potential implications of harvesting ornamental sabellids from coral reefs

1. Cefas, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT. Joanna.Murray@cefas.co.uk 2. C3 Philippines, Barangay Salvacion, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines info@c-3.org.uk 3. Flint Cottage, Norton Subcourse, Norfolk, NR14 6RS.

Murray J. M. 1,2 and Bonner, A. J. 3. Motivation

Collection of live invertebrates from coral reefs has increased dramatically in response to the growing marine aquarium industry and currently, more than 500 species (excluding corals) are traded. Sessile and conspicuous species have been highlighted as a risk group due to the potential impacts of over-collection. Ornamental fan worms such as sabellids are routinely traded and at present, all specimens are collected from wild sources. Sabellids build their own mucoid-sediment tubes which attaches to the surrounding reef framework. Very little is known about their population ecology and therefore an assessment of the likely impact of their removal to the surrounding coral reef community is difficult. The Philippines is one of the biggest exporters of the marine aquarium trade and was used as a case study to investigate the population ecology of ornamental sabellids.

Results
Sabellid distribution and density
Two hundred and ninety nine individuals were assessed across the 6 sites during this survey, 62% of which were recorded the Concpcion nonMPA site. As the identification of sabellids is notoriously problematic, worms were grouped based on genus or possible genus (Fig. 2). The most commonly observed group was Sabellstarte (Fig 2a, b, c, d), and is notably the most popular ornamental group in the trade [2]. Crown diameter ranged from 150mm on the smallest individuals but up to 600mm in the largest. A mean crown diameter of 380mm was calculated, a smaller diameter than the average size which is recorded in worms imported by the marine aquarium trade [3].

Methods
Study area and site selection
The municipality of Busuanga is part of the Calamaines Group of Islands located in the northernmost part of the province of Palawan in the Philippines (Fig 1). Six coral reef sites located were selected; Conception MPA, Conception non-MPA, Black Island, Lajo, Maglalambay, and New Busuanga.

Sabellid population dynamics

Population densities of sabellids were quantified at each site using five 25m long invertebrate belt transects with a 2m cross line [1]. Swimming observers spent at least 25 minutes search time along each belt transect and recorded: a count; genus-level identification; position in meters along the transect; a measurement of each specimens branchial crown in cm; and a description of the habitat/coral species with which the specimen was associated.
Fig 1. Location map of Busuanga Island and survey locations.

Associated habitat type

Sabellids were found to embedded within coral, on coral rubble or buried within sandy substrate. The majority, 49% of individuals, were embedded within Millepora sp. (Fig 3a,b). Porites sp. also played host to sabellids with 37% of worms associated with this slow growing coral (Fig 3c,d) and 18% were found attached to other coral species including; Goniastrea sp. (Fig 3e,f) and Montipora sp. (Fig 3g,h). Only 14% or worms were on coral rubble (Fig 3i) and 6% in sand (Fig 3j).

Fig3.

Fig2. e g
Figure 2a, b, c, d. Species from the genus Sabellastarte. Figure 2e, f, g. Bispira sp Figure 2h, Megalomma sp. Figure 2i. Sabella sp.

Collection and implication

Conclusions

Preliminary analysis shows worms are attached to The majority of sabellids (88%) surveyed in slow growing and delicate coral species (eg. Porites Busuanga were found in close association with sp.). species of coral. Removal is a delicate procedure with both worms Tubes were embedded within the coral with only and coral easily damaged. the branchial crown visible. Interviews with aquarium collectors established Hill & Wilkinson, 2004. Methods For Ecological Monitoring Of Coral Reefs : A Resource For Managers. that tube removal was achieved by inserting a [1] Version 1. Australian Institute of Marine Science ( AIMS), Townsville, Australia. 117 p. Murray J, Watson G, Bentley M, Giangrande A (2012) Managing the marine aquarium trade: revealing metal rod into the coral structure to release the [2] the data gaps using ornamental polychaetes. PLoS One, 7 (1). e29543. ISSN 1932-6203 10.1371/journal.pone.0029543. mucus attachment of the worm tube to the coral. [3] Murray J.M, Watson GJ, Bentley MG, Giangrande A (2013) Regeneration as a novel method to culture

References

marine ornamental sabellids. Aquaculture, 410-411, 129-137.