Interaction of chemical and structural

components providing defenses to sea

pansies Renilla reniformis and Renilla
muelleri
Clavico et al. 2012.
Marine Chemical Ecology
Our researches...

ANTIPREDATION ANTIFOULING

ECOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

EVOLUTION
Introduction – Phylum Cnidaria
Chemical Defenses

Beginning Research

Leon Ciereszko, 1960.

Terpenes in Gorgonians from
Caribe

Octocoral Secondary
Metabolites

Antifouling

Allelopathy

Antipredator
 Introduction – Phylum Cnidaria
Sclerites
Some questions about sclerites
as Physical Defenses

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION SCLERITES LENGTHS

pH Change Longer sclerites

250 µ

Term mineral defense would help to

distinguish the chemical effect from that More effectives against predators
of CaCO3 acting as a hardening agent
(Schupp & Paul 1994).
Escleritos de Leptogorgia virgulata
Introduction – Phylum Cnidaria
Sclerites as Physical Defenses

Clavico et al., 2007. Biological Bulletin

Escleritos de Renilla reniformis

 Introduction
Synergism
Synergistic interactions occur when the joint action of different
substances is significantly greater or less than their sum effect.

Chemical + Structural defenses have been reported to co-occur in several

benthic marine invertebrates.

Evidence for synergism between chemical defenses and CaCO3:

- green seaweeds Rhipocephalus phoenix and Udotea cyathiformis (Hay

et al. 1994)

- gorgonian Leptogorgia virgulata (Gerhart et al. 1988)

- some species of sponges (Hill et al. 2005; Jones et al. 2005).

Escleritos de Renilla reniformis

Introduction – Phylum Cnidaria

Chemical and structural defence mechanisms are

reported to co-occur in both terrestrial and
marine systems.
Introduction - Organisms
Renilla muelleri Renilla reniformis

CAPE
HATTERAS

LA PLATA RIVER

TERRA DEL FUEGO

Objectives

1) Investigate the potential of secondary metabolites and

sclerites as chemical and physical defenses, respectively, of
soft corals R. reniformis and R. muelleri against generalists
fishes.

2) Evaluate the interaction potential of physical and

chemical traits to provide increased protection against
predatory fishes
Methodology – Collection sites

Guanabara Bay is a
prominent coastal bay that
has an international
reputation due to its historical
importance and its scenic
beauty.
Located on the southeastern
coast of Brazil and
surrounded by the second
largest Brazilian city (Rio de
Janeiro), the bay measures 30
km from south to north, with
a 131-km perimeter, a surface
area of 384 km2
Methodology – Crude Extract

Collection

Field Assays
CRUDE
Extraction (Acetone) and EXTRACT
fractionation (MeOHaq: DCM)
Methodology – Sclerites Isolation

Collection

NaOH

Field Assays
SCLERITES
Sclerites Isolation
Methodology – Field Assays
Treatments

Treatment 1 = Crude Extract or Fraction

Treatment 2 = Sclerites

Treatment 3 = Crude Extract + Sclerites

Methodology – Field Assays
Methodology – Field Assays

n = 20
Methodology – Field Assays
Methodology – Field Assays
Results – Renilla muelleri
Results – Renilla reniformis
Results – Renilla muelleri
 Conclusions

- Renilla reniformis - Neither sclerites nor crude extracts

from deterred feeding when offered individually in
artificial food, but increased defenses when offered in
combination.
- Renilla muelleri - Both traits provided effective defence,
even when offered individually .
- For both species, however, the combination of secondary
metabolites and sclerites significantly deterred feeding,
indicating that these traits are more effective in
combination than in isolation.