Trapezia bidentata Metagenome

Trapezia bidentata crabs are conspicuous crustaceans associated with coral communities. These crustaceans have been characterized as strict corallivores with a feeding dependency on the mucus excreted by the adult Pocillopora colonies. The diet Trapezia bidentata was characterized using the next-generation sequencing of hypervariable regions V9 of the 18S rRNA. Results showed the presence of 16 phyla showing that T. bidentata is omnivorous and can obtain and digest traces of organic matter transported in the water column; therefore, their feeding habits are opportunistic rather than obligate with Pocillopora, and their role in the community is not only a coral-guard crustacean but also a contributor to the flow and transport of energy within the coral community.