ESTRUCTURA DE LA COMUNIDAD EPIFAUNAL ASOCIADA A COLONIAS DE VIDA LIBRE DEL HIDROCORAL MILLEPORA ALCICORNIS LINNAEUS 1758 EN BAHÍA PORTETE, CARIBE COLOMBIANO

Abstract

Structure of the epifaunal community associated with free-living colonies of Millepora alcicornis Linnaeus 1758 in Portete Bay, Colombian Caribbean. The epifaunal community associated with free-living colonies of Millepora alcicornis, the dominant coral species in Portete Bay, was characterized from twenty living colonies randomly collected within a shallow Thalassia testudinum seabed. The three-dimensional growth colonies sheltered 15 families, 15 genera and 18 mobile invertebrate species. The 97% of individuals was represented by decapods crustaceans specially adapted as to live in association with the host. Within them,