Tropical polychaete community and reef dynamics: insights from a Malayan Sabellaria (Annelida: Sabellariidae) reef

Abstract

The eco logy of tropical sabellariid reefs is scarce ly known, and only 1ew records of such systems were reported from Southeast Asia. The present investigation describes the only documented polychaete reef of western Peninsul ar Malaysia, which has been previously reported on in two other studies. More recent surveys documented dramatic temporal changes of the reefs extension and polychaete conununity composition. This reef appears to experience different phases of growth and destruction, associated with sed iment dynamics, possibly determined by monsoons. In the present study, the extent, temporal dynamics and polychaete species composition of the reef are documented from December 20 I 0 to Apri l 20 13. Semi-quantitative sampling of the polychaete community in se lected pottions of the reef along the intettidal zone revealed drastic changes in the composition and geomorphic structure of the reef. The reef reached its largest extension in December 20 I 0, when Sabellaria sp. I was the primary bui lder. The tubicu lous Polydora cavitensis and Loimia verrucosa dominated the reef at different stages of reef development. A total of26 polychaete spec ies !Tom 12 fam ilies were recorded, including errant and associated species. Eight un-described species were found, plus five new records for an area including the South China Sea, the Malacca Straits and the Andaman Sea, and ll ve m:w records f'or tht: Malay Pt:ninsula only. Hypotht:st:s of tht: rt:ef' cycle, the synecological dynamics, and the abiotic factors triggering the eco logica l success ion are al so discussed