sign in sign up
<<
Home , Abarenicola pacifica, Canalipalpata, Pygospio, Pygospio elegans, Spionida, Spionidae

Phylum: Annelida

Pygospio elegans Class: Polychaeta, Sedentaria,

Order: , Spioniformia A spionid worm Family:

Taxonomy: Several subjective synonyms ate setigers where each setiger has a dorsal (synonyms based on individual opinion) are ciliary band and a lateral tuft of cilia. The ab- indicated for elegans, but rarely domen is composed of 25–35 setigers where used (Spio inversa, S. rathbuni, S. seticornis Posterior: Pygidium with four pigment- and Pygospio mimutus). ed conical cirri (sp. elegans) (Fig. 3), each possessing inner tufts of cilia (Gibson and Description Harvey 2000). Sexual Dimorphism: Males may have small Parapodia: Biramous, with cirriform lobes be- pair of elongated dorsal cirri (sometimes ginning on the second setiger, and diminish- called "auxiliary gills") on setiger two ing posteriorly. Neuropodia without interramal (Pygospio, Blake 1975) which are often lost pouches. in collection. Setae (chaetae): Notopodia with capillary se- Size: Individuals range in size from 10–15 tae only. Neuropodia with simple capillary se- mm in length, having 50–60 segments (Light tae on setigers 1–8 and spoon-like hooded 1978). This specimen (from Coos Bay) is 5 hooks beginning on setigers eight and nine mm in length, 0.3 mm in width and has 36– (sp. elegans) (Fig. 4). 37 segments (Fig. 1). Eyes/Eyespots: Four eyes present. Anterior Color: Light, almost white with black mark- pair widely separated and lighter in color than ings on anterior segments (Fig. 2), but not distal pair (Fig. 2). Some individuals have 2– on proboscis (Light 1978). 8 eyespots, irregularly arranged along seg- General Morphology: Body slightly flat- ments (Light 1978). tened dorsolaterally. Fifth setiger normal Anterior Appendages: Two thick grooved and not strongly modified as is common palps antero-laterally are used in feeding. among spionids. They are relatively short and thick as com- Body: The body can be divided into four pared to the palps of other spionids. major regions (from anterior to posterior) in- Branchiae: Numerous branchial pairs, first cluding the anterior or head, the thorax and appearing on setigers 11–13. No branchiae abdomen and, finally, the tail or posterior on posterior-most segments. (Gibson and Harvey 2000). Burrow/Tube: Tube morphology is - Anterior: Anterior with two massive specific. It is long, papery, clear, covered with short dorsolaterally grooved palps (Figs. 1, fine sand grains and approximately 1 mm in 5), which are often lost during collection. diameter (Bolam 2004) (Fig. 5). Prostomium is without horns, is blunt Pharynx: Bears proboscis with a partially anteriorly, with lateral swellings and is eversible conical sac. slightly bi-lobed in some specimens. Genitalia: Anterior is not conical but taper slightly (sp. Nephridia: elegans) (Fig. 2). Paired nuchal organs present (Gibson and Harvey 2000, Fig. 1). Possible Misidentifications Trunk: Thorax with 10–12 abranchi- Spionidae can be distinguished by a

A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]

Hiebert, T.C. 2014. . In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Species, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR.

pair of long prehensile grooved palps californica is found on intertidal sand flats which arise from the posterior peristomium and the only record in Oregon is from (Blake 1996). Two other polychaete fami- Umpqua estuary, it is currently only reported lies have long palps: the , from central California (Blake and Ruff with adhesive palps (not long and flowing) 2007). and with flattened spade-like prostomiums Other small tube dwelling spionids and the , which have palps, include the genus , whose tubes but their bodies are very obviously divided are mucoid (Hartman 1969), and into three quite different regions, which is Pseudopolydora kempi, which also has a not the case in spionids. The similar family mucoid tube, a J-shaped row of falcigers on , may also have a large pair of setiger five and a cup-shaped pygidium. palps, but they have tentacular filaments, Ecological Information which are lacking in the spionids. Spionids Range: Known range includes the northern also have hooded hooks in posterior Atlantic, northern Pacific and western Canada segments, may or may not have to California (Light 1978). prostomial appendages or branchiae, the Local Distribution: Coos Bay collection sites prostomium is well developed and fused include South Slough. Individuals also collec- with peristomium, the pharynx is without ted in the Columbia River estuary. jaws and the setae are mostly simple Habitat: Lives in papery sandy tubes in mud (Blake 1975). Often certain segments are or sand flats and is considered an indicator highly modified and have special setae, for species for slight organic pollution (domestic example prostomial horns are present in sewage, Germany (Anger 1977)). Their abil- some genera. Spionid parapodia are ity to eat suspended as well as deposited biramous, with acicula (see Leitoscoloplos matter increases survivability in variable envi- pugettensis) and sometimes have stout ronments (Taghon et al. 1980) (see Food). saber setae. There are 19 local spionid Salinity: Found at salinities ranging from 30 genera (Blake and Ruff 2007). to 28 in Coos Bay, but also tolerant of salini- The genus Pygospio is character- ties as low as 2 (Bolam 2004; Blake 2006). ized by branchiae beginning posterior to Temperature: setiger 10 and species lack the dramatical- Tidal Level: Only occurring at high tide level ly modified fifth setiger of some spionids. in Coos Bay. Pygospio californica is the most closely Associates: Associated species include the related species to P. elegans. It is green sabellid polychaete, Chone ecuadata (Blake in life and is twice the size of P. elegans and Ruff 2007). (Hartman 1969). Pygospio californica's Abundance: South Slough, June abundance prostomium has a tapered conical tip and was measured in cores (15 cm diameter x 13 is not bi-lobed. Furthermore, P. californica cm depth) at three tidal heights. High interti- has a narrow caruncle that reaches to the dal core (1 m MLLW) produced 5–7 , first setiger, where P. elegans has no mid intertidal (1 m MLLW) produced 6–16 caruncle. Brown spots exist on the animals and low intertidal (0.9 m MLLW), 13– proboscis in P. californica and a reddish 20 animals. This species is most abundant in brown ventral stripe runs down the first 10 April (Posey 1985). –20 segments (Light 1978). The paired branchiae in P. californica begin on setiger Life-History Information 19, not on 11–13 as in P. elegans. P. Reproduction: Both sexual and asexual (by A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]

fragmentation or architomy) reproduction (Wilson 1981). have been reported for P. elegans (Blake Growth Rate: Pygospio elegans can fully re- and Arnofsky 1999). Asexual reproduction generate their anterior including prostomium has been shown to increase in frequency and palps in 9–12 days post ablation (Lindsay with warmer water temperatures (Armitage et al. 2007). 1979; Rasmussen 1953). Spermatophores Food: A deposit, suspension and filter feeder, are mushroom-shaped and have a long tail searching mud surface and water for food. (Blake and Arnofsky 1999). Eggs are re- Individuals can switch from deposit to suspen- leased through nephridial pores into egg sion feeding when water flow velocity increas- capsules within the adult tube (Soderstrom, es (Taghon et al. 1980). A most versatile (Hartman 1941)). Asexual reproduction feeder, P. elegans can filter feed by building a occurs in March–October while sexual mucus net within or above its tube (Fauchald reproduction takes place in winter months and Jumars 1979; Bolam 2004). (November–December) in False Bay, Predators: Fish and shorebirds are major Washington (Fernald et al. 1987). However, predators because this species lives at high sexual reproduction has been reported in tide level. Coos Bay in April. Larvae are Behavior: Moves tube when disturbed by ac- adelphophagic, ingesting the unfertilized tivity of the large lugworm Abarenicola sp. nurse eggs with which they share a cocoon. (Wilson 1981). Dense patches or Larva: Pygospio elegans larval develop- aggregations of P. elegans are ephemeral, ment proceeds in a variety of ways (as in but have a significant effect on the immediate Pseudopolydora kempi) and has been con- infaunal community (Bolam and Fernandes firmed to be variations across a single spe- 2003). cies (= poecilogony, Blake and Arnofksy Bibliography 1999; Morgan et al. 1999; Blake 2006; Kesäniemi et al. 2012). Larvae can ingest 1. ANGER, K. 1977. Benthic invertebrates as nurse eggs and hatch from their capsule at indicators of organic pollution in the West- the 3-setiger stage and live as planktonic ern Baltic Sea. Internationale Revue der larvae before settling at 17–20 setiger stage. Gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrogra- On the other hand, larvae can remain in the phie. 62:245-254. egg capsule until they are large and hatch 2. ARMITAGE, D. L. 1979. The Ecology and out as a non-pelagic larva (Blake 2006, Fig. reproductive cycle of Pygospio elegans 13.17). These varying developmental Claparède (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from modes may correspond to season, where Tomales Bay, California: A Thesis. Univer- planktotrophic larvae are more common in sity of the Pacific. spring (Rasmussen 1973; Fernald et al. 3. BLAKE, J. A. 1975. Phylum Annelida: 1987). Larval characters include, lack of Class Polychaeta, p. 151-243. In: Light's modification on setiger five, prostomium not manual: intertidal invertebrates of the cen- distally pointed, with frontal horns and bran- tral California coast. S. F. Light, R. I. chiae limited to middle and posterior most Smith, and J. T. Carlton (eds.). University setigers (except setiger two in males) of California Press, Berkeley. (Crumrine 2001). 4. —. 1996. Family Spionidae, p. 81-224. In: Juvenile: Taxonomic atlas of the benthic fauna of Longevity: High mortality when disturbed the Santa Maria Basin and Western Santa by castings of polychaete Abarenicola Barbara Channel. Vol. 6. J. A. Blake, B.

Hiebert, T.C. 2014. Pygospio elegans. In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Species, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR.

Hilbig, and P. H. Scott (eds.). Santa Bar- ton Press, Seattle, WA. bara Museum of Natural History, Santa 13. GIBSON, G. D., and J. M. L. HARVEY. Barbara, CA. 2000. Morphogenesis during asexual re- 5. BLAKE, J. A. 2006. Spionida, p. 565- production in Pygospio elegans Claparede 638. In: Reproductive biology and phy- (Annelida, Polychaeta). Biological Bulletin. logeny of annelida. Enfield, Science Pub- 199:41-49. lishers. Vol. 4. Science Publishers, En- 14. HARTMAN, O. 1941. Polychaetous anne- field. lids. Part III. Spionidae. Some contribu- 6. BLAKE, J. A., and P. L. ARNOFSKY. tions to the biology and life history of Spio- 1999. Reproduction and larval develop- nidae from California. Allan Hancock ment of the spioniform polychaeta with Foundation of Scientific Research. Allan application to systematics and phyloge- Hancock Pacific Expeditions. Reports. ny. Hydrobiologia. 402:57-106. 7:299. 7. BLAKE, J. A., and E. R. RUFF. 2007. 15. —. 1969. Atlas of the sedentariate poly- Polychaeta, p. 309-410. In: Light and chaetous from California. Allan Smith manual: intertidal invertebrates Hancock Foundation, University of South- from central California to Oregon. J. Carl- ern California, Los Angeles, CA. ton (ed.). University of California Press, 16. KESÄNIEMI, J. E., P. D. RAWSON, S. M. Berkeley, CA. LINDSAY, and K. E. KNOTT. 2012. Phylo- 8. BOLAM, S. G. 2004. Population structure genetic analysis of cryptic speciation in the and reproductive biology of Pygospio el- polychaete Pygospio elegans. Ecology egans (Polychaeta: Spionidae) on an in- and Evolution. 2:994-1007. tertidal sandflat, Firth of Forth, Scotland. 17. LIGHT, W. J. 1978. Spionidae: Polychae- Invertebrate Biology. 123:260-268. ta, Annelida. Boxwood Press, Pacific 9. BOLAM, S. G., and T. F. FERNANDES. Grove, CA. 2003. Dense aggregations of Pygospio 18. LINDSAY, S. M., J. L. JACKSON, and S. elegans (Claparede): effect on macrofau- Q. HE. 2007. Anterior regeneration in the nal community structure and sediments. spionid Dipolydora Journal of Sea Research. 49:171-185. quadrilobata and Pygospio elegans. Ma- 10. CRUMRINE, L. 2001. Polychaeta, p. 39- rine Biology. 150:1161-1172. 77. In: Identification guide to larval ma- 19. MORGAN, T. S., A. D. ROGERS, G. L. J. rine invertebrates of the Pacific North- PATERSON, L. E. HAWKINS, and M. west. A. Shanks (ed.). Oregon State Uni- SHEADER. 1999. Evidence for poecilogo- versity Press, Corvallis, OR. ny in Pygospio elegans (Polychaeta: Spio- 11. FAUCHALD, K., and P. A. JUMARS. nidae). Marine Ecology Progress Series. 1979. Diet of worms: a study of poly- 178:121-132. chaete feeding guilds. Oceanography 20. POSEY, M. H. 1985. The effects upon the and Marine Biology. 17:193-284. macrofaunal community of a dominant 12. FERNALD, R. L., C. O. HERMANS, T. C. burrowing deposit feeder, Callianassa cali- LACALLI, W. H. WILSON, JR, and S. A. forniensis, and the role of in de- WOODIN. 1987. Phylum Annelida, Class termining its intertidal distribution. Ph.D. Polychaeta, p. 138-195. In: Reproduction University of Oregon. and development of marine invertebrates 21. RASMUSSEN, E. 1953. Asexual repro- of the northern Pacific coast. M. F. duction in Pygospio elegans Claparède Strathmann (ed.). University of Washing- (Polychaeta sedentaria). Nature. 171:1161

A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]

-1162. 22. —. 1973. Systematics and ecology of the Isefjord marine fauna (Denmark) with a survey of the eelgrass (Zostera) vegeta- tion and its communities. Ophelia. 11:1- 507. 23. TAGHON, G. L., A. R. NOWELL, and P. A. JUMARS. 1980. Induction of suspen- sion feeding in spionid polychaetes by high particulate fluxes. Science (New York, N.Y.). 210:562-4. 24. WILSON, W. H. 1981. Sediment- mediated interactions in a densely popu- lated infaunal assemblage; the effects of the polychaete . Journal of Marine Research. 39:735-748. Updated 2014 T.C. Hiebert

Hiebert, T.C. 2014. Pygospio elegans. In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Species, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR.