Change in Setal Pattern during Early Development of Eupolymnia Nebulosa (Polychaeta: Terebellidae) Grown in Simulated Natural Conditions

Abstract

Eupolymnia nebulosa (Montagu) is a tubicolous worm with its body divided into two regions: thorax with biramous segments and three pairs of gills; abdomen with numerous segments lacking notopodia. The head bears grooved foodgathering tentacles which are not retractile into the mouth. The worm, a typical deposit feeder, lives in mucous tubes encrusted with sand. Although the family Terebellidae is homogeneous in terms of body organization and feeding ecology, there is a remarkable heterogeneity of developmental pattern. In the genera Lanice and Loimia, the life-cycle involves two pelagic stages separated by a short benthic larval stage; in other genera the development is mixed or direct (Bhaud et al. 1987; Pechenik, 1979; Caswell, 1981). It is important to study the development of representatives of the family which may reveal the adaptive significance of the different modes of development or may yield information about evolutionary relationships within the family. In several previous papers larval development (Bhaud & Grémare, 1988 a, b) and reproductive biology (Bhaud et al. 1987) of E. nebulosa have been reported from the Mediterranean coast. The present article reports observations on juvenile growth and morphological organization in natural conditions. This is the first step to growth rate studies in terms of temperature and food supply (Bhaud, 1988).