Echinometra mathaei and its ectocommensal shrimps: the role of sea urchin spinochrome pigments in the symbiotic association.

ABSTRACT: Tuleariocaris holthuisi and Arete indicus are two ectocommensal shrimps closely associated with the tropical sea urchin Echinometra mathaei. This study provides a comparison of these two E. mathaei symbiotic crustaceans and particularly focuses on the relationship between T. holthuisi and its host's pigments (i.e. spinochromes), and its dependency on its host. While all the analyses underline a close association between A. indicus and E. mathaei, they reveal a particularly close interaction between T. holthuisi and its host. Chemical analyses reveal that these shrimps present the same spinochrome composition as E. mathaei, and have similar colouration, allowing camouflage. Isotopic composition and pigment loss after host separation suggest that these pigments are certainly assimilated upon

SUBMITTER: Brasseur L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6277410 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature