First record of Alicia mirabilis (Anthozoa: Actiniaria) from the Aegean Sea and density assessment with distance sampling in a site of high abundance

Abstract

The occurrence of the actiniarian Alicia mirabilis in the Aegean Sea is documented for the first time from five sites in the Saronikos Gulf. The density of A. mirabilis was assessed in one site (Lychnari bay) with line transects (underwater distance sampling with SCUBA). Its density ranged between 0 and 4.3 individuals are^–1 (1 are=100 m²) with a mean of 1.1±0.5 individuals are^–1. The species was found in a variety of substrates (sandy bottoms, weeds, seagrass beds, rocks, litter) and its distribution was aggregated. Distance sampling was an efficient way to estimate the density of A. mirabillis and is proposed as a good choice for density estimations of actiniarians and other benthic fauna.

Keywords:

• Alicia mirabilis
• density estimation
• distance sampling
• line transect

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark