Reproduction of the terebellid Eupolymnia nesidensis was investigated in a population from the Ionian Sea (Mediterranean, South Italy). This species has a worldwide distribution and is very common on Mediterranean hard substrata covered by algae. Observations revealed a spawning period across springtime with lecithotrophic development occurring inside a jelly mass, with eggs measuring 210 μm in diameter. Juveniles leave the jelly mass after 12–13 days building a transitory tube and exhibiting a vagile benthic behaviour, incorporating food directly through the mouth opening. During the juvenile stage, at day ~100, an ontogenetic shift related to feeding behaviour was observed. Specifically, the vagile feeding behaviour was replaced by the adult feeding strategy with the use of the fully developed head tentacles. KEY WORDS Life cycle; polychaete; Terebellidae; ontogenetic change; Mediterranean Sea Introduction The Terebellidae is a large group of sedentary tubedwelling
Development and ontogenetic changes of feeding behavior during juvenile early growth of Eupolymnia nesidensis (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
Adriana Giangrande
2022-01-01
Abstract
Reproduction of the terebellid Eupolymnia nesidensis was investigated in a population from the Ionian Sea (Mediterranean, South Italy). This species has a worldwide distribution and is very common on Mediterranean hard substrata covered by algae. Observations revealed a spawning period across springtime with lecithotrophic development occurring inside a jelly mass, with eggs measuring 210 μm in diameter. Juveniles leave the jelly mass after 12–13 days building a transitory tube and exhibiting a vagile benthic behaviour, incorporating food directly through the mouth opening. During the juvenile stage, at day ~100, an ontogenetic shift related to feeding behaviour was observed. Specifically, the vagile feeding behaviour was replaced by the adult feeding strategy with the use of the fully developed head tentacles. KEY WORDS Life cycle; polychaete; Terebellidae; ontogenetic change; Mediterranean Sea Introduction The Terebellidae is a large group of sedentary tubedwellingI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
