Polychaeta |
Terebellida |
Ampharetidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 0 - 1400 m (Ref. 116516). Boreal; 81°N - 40°S, 180°W - 180°E
Arctic, Northern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific. Boreal to subtropical.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cmmax. reported age: 1.00 years (Ref. 2823)
Prostomium without ridges. Buccal tentacles papillose. Four pairs of branchiae. Two nephridial papillae behind branchiae. Segments III-VI without neuropodia and neurochaetae. Notochaetae of segment III usually enlarged to form paleae, but sometimes absent. Notochaetae of segment IV absent; notochaetae of segments V and VI present. eleven or twelve uncinigerous thoracic segments. Two anterior abdominal neuropodia of thoracic type.
Inhabit inshore areas associated with organic pollutants, in silty to very fine sand substrate (Ref. 96352) and muddy bottoms (Ref. 2780). A surface deposit feeder (Ref. 96435)/microvore that feeds on organic detritus (Ref. 96352). Sessile. Use tentacles to feed (Ref. 125928).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Polychaeta are mostly gonochoric (sexual). Mating: Females produce a pheromone attracting and signalling the males to shed sperm which in turn stimulates females to shed eggs, this behavior is known as swarming. Gametes are spawned through the metanephridia or body wall rupturing (termed as "epitoky", wherein a pelagic, reproductive individual, "epitoke", is formed from a benthic, nonreproductive individual, "atoke"). After fertilization, most eggs become planktonic; although some are retained in the worm tubes or burrowed in jelly masses attached to the tubes (egg brooders). Life Cycle: Eggs develop into trocophore larva, which later metamorph into juvenile stage (body lengthened), and later develop into adults.
López-Jamar, E., G. González and J. Mejuto 1986 Temporal changes of community structure and biomass in two subtidal macroinfaunal assemblages in La Coruña bay, NW Spain. Hydrobiologia 142:137-150. (Ref. 2778)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Price category
Unknown.
