http://www.collembola.org/publicat/anurida.htm - Last updated on 2003.06.11 by Frans Janssens
Checklist of the Collembola: Foraging microhabitat selection in the intertidal Anurida maritima

Luc De Bruyn1,2, De Meyer, M. 3, Scheirs, J.2, Van Gossum, H. 2 & Janssens, F. 2

1 Inst. Nature Conservation, Kliniekstr. 25, 1070 Brussel, Belgium
2 Dept. Biology, Univ. of Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
3 Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium
Correspondence: luc.de.bruyn@instnat.be

Abstract

Fig.1. Anurida maritima on surface of puddle at the rocky shore of Wimereux, France.
Luc De Bruyn © 2003.
Anurida maritima (Guérin) is a cosmopolitan intertidal collembolan belonging to the family Neanuridae. The species is very common in tidal marshes and on rocky shores, where it lives as a scavenger. A. maritima actively forages during low tide and shelters under rocks or in crevices during high tide, forming aggregations of up to several hundred individuals. We analysed the foraging microhabitat selection during the intertidal period on the rocky shore at Wimereux (Boulonais coast, N.W. France). On an artificial vertical stone wall of + 3.00 m height, we determined the densities of all sessile organisms (seaweeds, barnacles), as well as the number of crevices. Two factors turned out to be responsible for the observed distribution of A.maritima when it is active outside the crevices, viz. exposure to the sun (densities are lower on the south facing side) and the density of suitable crevices and the barnacle Balanus balanoides.

Index terms: Collembola, foraging microhabitat selection, intertidal.

References