Assessment of the physical defense mechanism of the calcareous red macroalgae

Arthrocardia variabilis (Harvey) Weber Bosse against the crustacean Pachygrapsus

transversus (Gibbes, 1850)

Amanda Mendonça Chyaromont (1); Amanda de Cunha Souza Coração (2); Valéria
Laneuville Teixeira (2); Joel Campos de Paula (1,2).

(1) Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, RJ; (2)
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Neotropical, Universidade Federal do
Estado do Rio de Janeiro, UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, RJ amneko4@edu.unirio.br

The calcareous macroalga Arthrocardia variabilis, which is native to the Brazilian

coast, possesses calcification in its thallus, providing defense against predation. This is
because the consumption of the rigid thallus requires specific mouthparts in herbivores and a
neutral stomach pH for digestion. However, there are no records of biological activity
associated with this alga. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the physical defense of the
macroalgae A. variabilis against the crustacean Pachygrapsus transversus. The macroalgae
and crustaceans were collected at Vermelha Beach, RJ. The macroalgae thalli were separated
into similar average sizes of 1 cm, with an initial average weight of 0.0289g. The treatment
fragments were soaked in a 10% HCl solution (1.2 M) for 20 minutes to remove
approximately 51% of the present calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). Subsequently, the thalli were
rinsed with seawater, dried, and weighed again at a predeterminated time. Both the control
and treatment thalli were placed in seawater for 24 hours before being offered to the crabs.
The collected herbivores were acclimated for 24 hours with Ulva sp. to minimize intensified
appetite. In the experiment, the thalli were presented to 17 P. transversus specimens, and once
they consumed 50% of the control and/or treatment, they were removed, dried, and weighed
again. Finally, these data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. A greater preference
for the treatment was observed in the crabs, indicating that the herbivores reject the high
amount of CaCO₃ present in A. variabilis (p = <0.001). he physical defense represented by
the structure of the macroalga's thallus can impede feeding due to the low digestibility of this
mineral, as the decalcified macroalgae was rapidly consumed. Thus, A. variabilis possibly
relies on an effective physical defense mechanism and has a low diversity or abundance of
secondary metabolites that could act as chemical defenses.

Apoio Financeiro: FAPERJ, CAPES