Marine Snake Epibiosis: A Review and First Report of Decapods Associated with Pelamis platurus

• Published in: Integrative and comparative biology Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 296 - 310
• Main Authors: Pfaller, Joseph B., Frick, Michael G., Brischoux, François, Sheehy, Coleman M., Lillywhite, Harvey B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01-08-2012; Oxford Publishing Limited (England); Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animals; Aquatic habitats; Aquatic life; Biology; Body Size; Costa Rica - epidemiology; Crabs; Decapoda (Crustacea) - growth & development; Ecosystem; Ectoparasitic Infestations - epidemiology; Ectoparasitic Infestations - parasitology; Ectoparasitic Infestations - veterinary; Elapidae - parasitology; Elapidae - physiology; Environmental Sciences; Feeding Behavior; Field surveys; Invertebrates; Larvae; Logistic Models; New Frontiers from Marine Snakes to Marine Ecosystems; Northwestern United States - epidemiology; Pelamis platurus; Rafting; Sea snakes; Snakes; Species Specificity; Surface areas; Taxa; Northwestern United States; Costa Rica; ASW, Costa Rica
• ISSN: 1540-7063; 1557-7023
• DOI: 10.1093/icb/ics038

Under circumstances in which area for settlement is limited, the colonization of living substrata may become a highly valuable strategy for survival of marine invertebrates. This phenomenon, termed epibiosis, results in spatially close associations between two or more living organisms. Pelamis platurus, the yellow-bellied sea snake, is the only exclusively pelagic marine snake and its propensity for foraging along ocean slicks facilitates its colonization by pelagic epibionts. Herein, we report epibionts associated with P. platurus inhabiting the waters off the northwestern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. These associations include the first records of decapod epibionts from any marine snake. Decapod epibionts were found on 18.9% of P. platurus, and size of snake (total length) had a significant positive effect on the frequency and intensity of epibiosis. We discuss the spatial and ecological mechanisms that facilitate these interactions, as well as the suite of factors that either promote or deter epibiosis and ultimately dictate the frequency and intensity of these interactions. Finally, we provide a review of marine snake epibiosis. The intention of this review is to (1) provide contemporary researchers with a single, accessible reference to all known reports of epibionts associated with marine snakes and (2) discuss what is currently known with respect to diversity of epibionts from marine snakes.