Premier cas d'adelphophagie étudié chez les néréides (Annélides, Polychètes): signification écologique de ce comportement développé par le Nereis diversicolor (O.F. Müller)

Abstract

Nereis diversicolor (O.F. Müller) is one of the rare nereid species to reproduce when atokous, with the female incubating its offspring for several weeks inside its gallery. During the incubation, postlarvae commonly become adelphophagous as they reach the three-setigerous-segment stage; the absence of oocytes in our rearings during the second week caused a near 50% decrease in the number of individuals, a pause of more than 14 days in their development, and an increase in the variability of growth patterns between individuals. Results are discussed in terms of the possible effects of this deficiency on the morphophysiology of young worms and in terms of the ecological consequences of the adelphophagous behaviour on the reproductive and incubating behaviours of the female.