MOLLUSCAN FAUNA
The molluscan species that are found
in mangrove swamps are important components of the ecosystem; in fact, molluscs
account for a good portion of the biomass of the eulittoral zone, and are key
components at all trophic levels. This
has led scientists to pose the question of whether there is a specific mangrove
fauna. However, many of the species
encountered in mangrove forests can be found in other habitats at an equivalent
tidal level. In general, the mangrove
molluscan fauna can be described as species that are associated with tropical
estuarine areas, that are able to survive in mangroves at the limit of their
ecological range, and/or those species that have evolved within a specific
mangrove ecosystem.
Although there may be no mangrove
specific molluscs, there are species that are commonly associated with
mangroves. For example, Littorina angulifera almost always lives
on the prop roots (above the water line) of red mangroves and moves higher in
the tree if there is high tidal fluctuations or strong wave action. Isognomon
alatus is another species that almost always inhabits the nutrient rich
waters of mangrove swamps. This bivalve
lives attached to roots with a byssus, and is a filter feeder like all other
bivalves. Also, Melampus coffeus is an important detritivore in mangrove
communities as it accounts for a high percentage of the breakdown of mangrove
leaf litter. Melongena melongena is mostly found in mangrove areas as well and
is one of the top predators on bivalves and other snails in mangrove
communities.
The sampling required to monitor
mollusc diversity or specific populations is not complex because the target
molluscan species are often conspicuous.
Molluscs are easy to collect and enumerate. Molluscs can be used as important zoning organisms in the
mangroves, just as in rocky intertidal habitats.
- Family Isognomonidae: includes
the mangrove oysters that are distinctive in their thin, compressed shells. The
shell hinge has vertical parallel grooves and the interior is pearly. The bivalves are attached to rocks,
crevices, concrete structures or mangrove roots via byssus. Family Lucinidae -
usually white; about 1/8-5 inches long; hard, thick shells; generally round,
compressed and equivalve. These clams
are of interest to biochemists because of their bacterial symbionts in the gill
tissue that allow the lucine clams to live in sediments high in hydrogen
sulfide. Lucina pectinatus occurs in shallow mud flats adjacent to mangrove
forests. The surface of the shell has
many fine concentric ridges and is yellow-white color.
GASTROPODS- Snails found in all the faunal
zones of the mangrove forest, from the high tree zone to burrowing in mud
flats.
- Family Bullidae:
include snails found in mud areas with a long, flaring aperture or opening of a
thin, light shell.
- Family Neritidae: live on
rocks or trees in the intertidal zone and browse on algae. Nerites are small,
bright-colored shells with globular shape. Neritina virginea has a small round and smoothly polished
shell, this species is found in the upper intertidal areas.
- Family Littorinidae:
includes snails that inhabit the littoral region (mangroves and rocky
intertidal); the shell is usually thick and conical in shape. Littorinids browse on algae, Littorina angulifera is a common
mangrove snail found browsing on prop roots and tree trunks. These snails have a thin, but strong shell
that is red-brown color with many fine spiral grooves.
- Family Melongenidae: usually
inhabit muddy water near mangroves (tropical).
These large snail are carnivorous and feed on other mollusks. Melongenids have solid shells with a large
body whorl.
Table 3.3: Systematic list
of Mollusks that might be found in mangrove communities of South Florida and
the Gulf of Mexico
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA
Class
Bivalvia
Order
Mytiloida
Family
Mytilidae
Brachidontes
exustus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Mytilis sp.
Order
Pterioida
Family
Isognomonidae
Isognomon
alatus (Gmelin, 1791)
Family
Ostreidae
Crassostrea sp.
Lopha
frons (Linnaeus, 1758)
Order
Veneroida
Family
Corbiculidae
Polymesoda
placans (Hanley, 1845)
Family
Lucinidae
Lucina
pectinatus (Gmelin, 1791)
Class
Gastropoda
Subclass
Opisthobranchia
Order
Cephalaspidea
Family
Bullidae
Bulla
striata (Bruguiere, 1792)
Subclass
Prosobranchia
Order
Archaeogastropoda
Family
Neritidae
Neritina
piratica (Russell, 1940)
Neritina
reclivata (Say, 1822)
Neritina
virginea (Linnaeus, 1758)
Puperita
pupa form tristis (Orbigny, 1842)
Order
Mesogastropoda
Family
Littorinidae
Littorina
angulifera (Lamarck, 1822)
Family
Potamididae
Cerithidea sp.
Order
Neogastropoda
Family
Melongenidae
Melongena
corona (Gmelin, 1791)
Melongena
melongena (Linnaeus, 1758)
Subclass
Pulmonata
Order
Archaeopulmonata
Family
Ellobiidae
Melampus
coffeus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Mollusk
Checklist for Matheson Hammock:
|
TAXA |
Common Name |
Genera |
species |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
MOLLUSK |
Strawberry cockle |
Americardia |
media |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Mossy ark |
Arca |
imbricata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Faust tellin |
Arcopagia |
fausta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Long-spined star |
Astrae |
phoebia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Carved star shell |
Astraea |
caelata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Spiny pen |
Atrina |
seminuda |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Red brown ark |
Barbatia |
cancellania |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
False cerith |
Batillaria |
minima |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Scorched mussel |
Brachidontes |
exustus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Common bubble |
Bulla |
occidentalis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Costate horn snail |
Cerithidea |
costata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Ivory cerith |
Cerithium |
eburneum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Stocky cerith |
Cerithium |
litteratum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Ornate scallop |
Chiamys |
ornate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Cross-barred venus |
Chione |
cancellata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Marbled chiton |
Chiton |
marmuratus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Tiger lucine |
Codakia |
orbicularis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Great white lucine |
Codakia |
orbiculous |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Common dove shell |
Columbella |
mercatoria |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
False prickly-winkle |
Echininus |
nodulosus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Tulip shell |
Fascilaria |
tulipa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Amber glassy bubble |
Hamiaoea |
succinea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Silver clam |
Iclasola |
argenteus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Mud snail |
Ilyanassa |
obsoleta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Slender chiton |
Ischnochiton |
limaciformis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Flat tree oyster |
Isognonon |
alatus |
|
|
|
X |
|
X |
X |
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Common egg cockle |
Laevicardium |
laevigatum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Chestnut latirus |
Leucozonia |
nassia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Antillean lima |
Lima |
pellucida |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Rough file shell |
Lima |
scabra |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Delicate file shell |
Lima |
scabrateriera |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Floccose periwinkle |
Littorina |
floccosa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Mangrove periwinkle |
Littorina |
angelifera |
|
|
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Fancy lucine |
Lucina |
muricata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Jamaica lucine |
Lucina |
pectinatus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
clam |
Macoma |
constricta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Variable dog whelk |
Massarius |
albus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Coffee bean snail |
Melampus |
coffeus |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Florida crown conch |
Melongena |
corona |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Tulip mussel |
Modiolus |
americanus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Angled modulus |
Modulus |
carchedonius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Aqtlantic morum |
Morum |
oniscus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Apple murex |
Murex |
pomum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Gaudy nautica |
Nautica |
canrena |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Bleeding tooth |
Nerita |
peloronta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Four-toothed nerite |
Nerita |
versicolor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Virgin nerite |
Neritina |
viriginea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Nettled olive shell |
Oliva |
reticularis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Lettered olive |
Oliva |
sayana |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Ravenels scallop |
Pecten |
reveneli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Scotch bonnet |
Phalium |
granulatum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Amber pen |
Pinna |
carnea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Dwarf milky moon |
Polinices |
uberinus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Florida marsh clam |
Pseudocyrena |
maritima |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Winged pearl oyster |
Pteria |
colymbus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
White semele |
Semele |
proficua |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
White semele |
Semele |
proficua |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Oval reef squid |
Sepioteuthis |
sepioidea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Cock stromb |
Strobus |
gallus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Milk conch |
Strombus |
costatus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Queen (pink) conch |
Strombus |
gigas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Hawk wing conch |
Strombus |
raninus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Beaded periwinkle |
Tectarius |
muricatus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Smooth atlantic |
Tegula |
fasciata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Colorful top shell |
Tegula |
fasciata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
West indian top shell |
Tegula |
levidomaculata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Alternate tellin |
Tellina |
alternata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Speckled tellin |
Tellina |
listeri |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Sunrise tellin |
Tellina |
radiata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Partridge snail |
Tonna |
maculosa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Prickly cockle |
Trachycardium |
isocardia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOLLUSK |
Rigid venus |
Ventricolaria |
rigida |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|