Living specimens of sea anemones settled on rhodoliths were photographed and its external morphological features and measures were recorded in situ. Several rhodoliths were examined in situ in Punta Ulloa at 14 m depth, by SCUBA during the expedition UCR-UNA-COCO-I to Isla del Coco National Park on 24 th April 2010. This paper documents the association and constitutes the first record of this actiniarian in the Isla del Coco National Park. The sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana ( Rapp, 1829) (= Exaiptasia pallida) was observed among the species associated to the rhodoliths. Rhodoliths are one of the groups of algae with the widest geographical, climatic and bathymetric distribution and they are considered as bioengineers due to their propensity to construct a hard and complex substrate with hollows and sinuosities, which favors the settlement of numerous species and the development of various microhabitats ( Foster, Amado-Filho, Kamenos, Riosmena-Rodríguez, & Steller, 2013 Mallol, Barberá, & Goñi, 2015). The rhodoliths constituted a benthic community dominated by free-living calcareous algae that can roll over the substrate pushed by the movement of water currents. During the expedition UCR-UNA-COCO-I to Isla del Coco National Park in April 2010, we sampled many sites including a rhodolith bed at 14 m depth, in Punta Ulloa. In fact, only two species of sea anemones have been recorded for the island, Telmatactis panamensis ( Verrill, 1869) ( Acuña, Cortés, & Garese, 2012), and Anthopleura nigrescens ( Verrill, 1928) ( Acuña, Garese, Excoffon, & Cortés 2013).
Although there have been many studies on different invertebrate groups, the sea anemones (order Actiniaria) diversity is still poorly studied. The growing interest in these investigations has been demonstrated in the recent International Symposium on Isla del Coco held in February 2018 at the University of Costa Rica. A list of published records of the marine organisms found in the area has been compiled by Cortés (2012). The marine biodiversity of Isla del Coco has been the subject of scientific interest particularly for its biogeographic relevance and diversity. Palabras clave: Exaiptasia diaphana, submareal, Punta Ulloa, Isla del Coco, Pacífico Tropical Oriental, Costa Rica. Las imágenes obtenidas aportan evidencia de reproducción clonal por laceración pedal. diaphana fueron observados sobre rodolitos y observamos repetidamente pequeños individuos rodeando a un individuo mayor (presumiblemente la anémona fundadora) sobre rodolitos de Punta Ulloa.Ĭonclusiones: La distribución geográfica de esta especie es extendida, como así también su distribución batimétrica desde el intermareal hasta los 14 m de profundidad. Especímenes vivos fijados sobre rodolitos fueron fotografiados y sus medidas y carácterísticas morfológicas externas fueron registradas in situ. de profundidad mediante SCUBA durante la expedición UCR-UNA-COCO-I al Parque Nacional Isla del Coco el 24 de abril de 2010. Métodos: Algunos rodolitos fueron examinados in situ en Punta Ulloa a 14 m. Objetivo: Reportar por primera vez la presencia de la anémona de mar Exaiptasia diaphana. Introducción: La diversidad de anémonas de mar en el Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, está aún poco estudiada. Keywords: Exaiptasia diaphana+ subtidal+ Punta Ulloa+ Cocos Island+ Eastern Tropical Pacific+ Costa Rica. The photographs provide evidence of clonal reproduction by pedal laceration. diaphana were observed on rodoliths and we repeatedly observed several small individuals of this sea anemone surrounding the largest individual in an area (presumably the founder sea anemone) on rhodoliths from Punta Ulloa.Ĭonclusions: The geographic distribution is extended as well as their bathymetric distribution from the intertidal to 14 m depth. Living anemones settled on rhodoliths were photographed and its external morphological features and measures were recorded in situ. Methods: Some rhodoliths were examined in situ in Punta Ulloa at 14 m depth, by SCUBA during the expedition UCR-UNA-COCO-I to Isla del Coco National Park on 24 th April 2010. Objective: To report for the first time the presence of the sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana. Introduction: The sea anemones diversity is still poorly studied in Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica.
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