Description: The relatively small numbers of pelagic cephalopods caught in the RMT-8 samples (0–300 m) in February/March 1983 in the Weddell Sea were dominated by early life stages of the cranchiid squid Galiteuthis glacialis. A total of 48 specimens were caught with dorsal mantle length (ML) ranging from 4–36 mm. They occurred with a mean density of 0.15 ind. × 1000 m−3 and were present in 38% of 33 RMT-8 samples. G. glacialis was the only cranchiid squid found in the Weddell Sea between 66° and 74°S. Its early life stages were concentrated in the layers below the summer thermocline (〉50 m) and body sizes appeared to increase towards deeper water layers. For biochemical analyses, nine specimens of G. glacialis (ML 6–18 mm) were sampled in the eastern Weddell Sea between 185–520 m water depth in January/February 1985. Total lipid contents ranged from 8%–11% dry weight (DW) with phospholipids being the main lipid component (43–56% of total lipid). Storage lipids (triacylglycerols) made up 18–26% of total lipid. The relatively low lipid contents may reflect the early development stage of the specimens examined. The data presented give the first information on geographical and vertical distribution patterns of early life stages of G. glacialis in the high-Antarctic Weddell Sea, as well as on their lipid content and composition.

Description: The relatively small numbers of pelagic cephalopods caught in the RMT-8 samples (0–300 m) in February/March 1983 in the Weddell Sea were dominated by early life stages of the cranchiid squid Galiteuthis glacialis. A total of 48 specimens were caught with dorsal mantle length (ML) ranging from 4–36 mm. They occurred with a mean density of 0.15 ind. × 1000 m−3 and were present in 38% of 33 RMT-8 samples. G. glacialis was the only cranchiid squid found in the Weddell Sea between 66° and 74°S. Its early life stages were concentrated in the layers below the summer thermocline (〉50 m) and body sizes appeared to increase towards deeper water layers. For biochemical analyses, nine specimens of G. glacialis (ML 6–18 mm) were sampled in the eastern Weddell Sea between 185–520 m water depth in January/February 1985. Total lipid contents ranged from 8%–11% dry weight (DW) with phospholipids being the main lipid component (43–56% of total lipid). Storage lipids (triacylglycerols) made up 18–26% of total lipid. The relatively low lipid contents may reflect the early development stage of the specimens examined. The data presented give the first information on geographical and vertical distribution patterns of early life stages of G. glacialis in the high-Antarctic Weddell Sea, as well as on their lipid content and composition.

Description: The Asian shore crab H. sanguineus first appeared at the French coast in the late 1990’s. It rapidly extended its range further north to the German Wadden Sea and recently to western Sweden. In the intertidal area, it co-occurs with the European green crab C. maenas. As the ecophysiology of H. sanguineus is virtually unknown, the physiological capacities of both species and their potential for intra-guild competition were investigated. The aim of this study was to specifically compare the energy deposition and dietary preferences of ovigerous females of both species. Females of H. sanguineus and C. maenas carrying immature or mature eggs were collected in April, June, August and October 2015 in an intertidal area of the Island of Helgoland, North Sea. Total lipid levels and fatty acid compositions were determined of both midgut glands and eggs. In H. sanguineus, total lipid levels of the midgut glands were clearly higher than those of C. maenas (40% vs. 10% dry mass, DM). Immature eggs were quite lipid-rich in both species with 30% and 25%DM, respectively, whereas in mature eggs, lipid levels decreased to ~15%DM each. A Principal Component Analysis of the fatty acid compositions of midgut glands and eggs revealed separate clusters for both species with C. maenas lipids more characterized by membrane fatty acids. In C. maenas fatty acids of midgut glands and eggs clustered together largely dominated by carnivory biomarkers. Fatty acids of midgut glands and all eggs of H. sanguineus formed separate clusters and trophic markers indicate a more herbivorous diet. Higher lipid levels and thus more pronounced energy deposition in H. sanguineus midgut glands indicate higher starvation tolerance for females, a potential competitive advantage over C. maenas. Direct food competition, however, seems negligible, as H. sanguineus prefers a more herbivorous diet than C. maenas. Deviating fatty acid compositions in H. sanguineus midgut glands and eggs suggest that this species may represent an income breeder, utilizing energy from both the midgut gland but also from dietary input. Most brachyuran crabs are capital breeders, which rely exclusively on internal reserves.

Description: Biological invasions can entail major threats to marine biodiversity. Non-indigenous species may induce changes in community structure and ecosystem functioning, thereby affecting ecosystem services and human economic interest and health. Decapod brachyuran crabs are among the most invasive marine animal taxa. The originally European species Carcinus maenas and the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus invaded different coastal areas around the world. While their invasion history and ecology has been thoroughly investigated, physiological properties of H. sanguineus are virtually unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the metabolic energy demand of both crab species and - based on these data - to assess their potential dietary impact on the ecosystem. Respiration measurements were conducted with a flow-through system covering a temperature range naturally experienced by these crabs (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C). Both species were analyzed on the island of Helgoland in April, June and August 2015. A general linear mixed-effects model (LMM) was applied to test for the effects of species, temperature, biomass and sex on respiration rates. Overall rates increased with temperature but decreased with the mass of the crabs. Respiration rates did not differ significantly between sexes in both species. From the full model, two separated LMMs were created for either species. They allowed establishing species-specific equations for the prediction of respiration rates y (nmol d-1 g-1) for a crab of any given mass xMass (g) at any given ambient temperature xTemp (°C): ln y = 10.39 + (-0.34 * ln xMass) + (0.06 * xTemp) for C. maenas and ln y = 10.42 + (-0.39 * ln xMass) + (0.08 * xTemp) for H. sanguineus. The mass-specific respiration rates of C. maenas and H. sanguineus were quite similar. By applying the diet-dependent respiratory quotient, oxygen uptake may be used to calculate carbon uptake and metabolic energy demand either for single crabs or for entire populations of a given area. On the population level, the metabolic energy demand and thus ecosystem impact of both species depend primarily on their abundance in the field and, less so on their dietary preferences.

Description: Hemigrapsus sanguineus, the Asian shore crab, is a successful invader at the U.S. east coast and the European Atlantic coast, where populations are established from France to Germany. Numerous studies on behavioral aspects and population development are available, however, physiology and energetic impact of the invader on its ecosystem are virtually unknown. We measured respiration rates of H. sanguineus and its native equivalent, the European shore crab C. maenas, from the island of Helgoland, North Sea, Germany. Measurements were conducted at 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C, using a flow-through system. Specific respiration rates were overall similar for both species. Rates increased with temperature and decreased with the mass of the crab. Mass-standardized data revealed that small H. sanguineus showed significantly higher respiration rates at higher temperatures than C. maenas. This difference vanished with increasing crab size. Statistical modelling was used to develop species-specific equations to calculate a crab´s respiration rate in relation to its mass and the ambient temperature. Taking the overall biomass and temperature into account, the population respiration, carbon uptake and the metabolic energy demand, a measure for the population´s ecosystem impact, was calculated. In the Helgoland intertidal, total biomass of H. sanguineus is now about 59% of that of the C. maenas population but the cumulative metabolic energy demand represents already 78% of the value for C. maenas. With still increasing abundances of H. sanguineus and globally rising temperatures, the ecosystem impact of this invader will increase in the future.

Description: The physiology of the successful intertidal invader, the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus, is essentially unknown. It is quite abundant from France to German coasts but information on food preferences, energy storage and breeding strategy are still lacking. Hemigrapsus sanguineus and its native ecological equivalent, the European green crab Carcinus maenas, were collected in April, June, August and October 2016 in the intertidal area of the island of Helgoland, North Sea, Germany. Midgut glands were dissected and in case of ovigerous females, additionally the egg masses were sampled. Lipids were extracted and the fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. The lipid contents of H. sanguineus midgut glands was higher and more variable over the seasons than those of C. maenas (20 - 60% vs. ~20%, respectively). Trophic marker fatty acids revealed a more herbivorous diet of H. sanguineus, whereas C. maenas profiles suggested a wide range from more herbivorous to more carnivorous diets. The fatty acid compositions of eggs and midgut glands formed two separate clusters in H. sanguineus but both tissue types were similar in C. maenas. Hemigrapsus sanguineus stored much more energy than C. maenas and may cope better with longer periods of starvation. The invaders were able to build up and maintain these reserves by utilizing mostly low quality algal food. Further, H. sanguineus is an income breeder, utilizing recently eaten food for reproduction, whereas C. maenas is a capital breeder. The physiological properties suggest that the invader is competitively superior over the native crab.