Ecology of Idotea balthica
| Main Ref. | Healy, B., 1997 |
|---|---|
| Remarks | It is an epibenthic species (Ref. 95730), that inhabits coastal waters (Ref. 8372). Euryhaline; found along tidal shores, typically occupying the littoral and sublittoral zones. Its characteristic pattern of distribution is correlated with tidal levels, exposure and salinity variations. It is a widely distributed species (Ref. 95891). A macroalgae mesoherbivore (Refs. 95728, 95891, 126850). This species facilitates the transfer of spermatia in red alga Gracilaria gracilis in laboratory aquaria (Ref. 126850). |
Aquatic zones / Water bodies
| Marine - Neritic | Marine - Oceanic | Brackishwater | Freshwater | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies |
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Habitat
| Substrate | Benthic: macrobenthos; Soft Bottom: sand; silt; |
|---|---|
| Substrate Ref. | Zettler, M.L. and F. Gosselck, 2006 |
| Special habitats | Beds: algae/seaweed; |
| Special habitats Ref. | Aslan, H. and H. Balkis, 2004 |
Associations
| Ref. | Lavaut, E., M.-L. Guillemin, S. Colin, A. Faure, J. Coudret, C. Destombre and M. Valero, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Associations | symbiosis; |
| Associated with | Gracilaria gracilis |
| Association remarks | Firmly clinging to the reproductive thallus of the red alga. |
| Parasitism |
feeding
| Feeding type | mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19) |
|---|---|
| Feeding type Ref. | Norling, P. and N. Kautsky, 2008 |
| Feeding habit | grazing on aquatic plants |
| Feeding habit Ref. | Norling, P. and N. Kautsky, 2008 |
Trophic Level(s)
| Estimation method | original sample | unfished population | Remark | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troph | s.e. | Troph | s.e. | ||
| From diet composition | |||||
| From individual food items | 2.00 | 0.00 | Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items. | ||
| Ref. | |||||