The larval development of Polychaeta from the northern California coast. 4. Leitoscoloplos pugettensis and Scoloplos acmeceps (family Orbiniidae)
Blake, J.A. (1980). The larval development of Polychaeta from the northern California coast. 4. Leitoscoloplos pugettensis and Scoloplos acmeceps (family Orbiniidae). Ophelia 19(1): 1-18
In: Ophelia: International Journal of Marine Biology. Ophelia Publications: Helsingør. ISSN 0078-5326, more
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| Keywords |
Biological development > Larval development
Comparative studies
Taxa > Species > Sibling species
Leitoscoloplos pugettensis (Pettibone, 1957) [WoRMS]; Scoloplos acmeceps Chamberlin, 1919 [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract |
Larvae of L. pugettensis develop from egg cocoons deposited by females in sand-mud substrates. Development is either direct and completed within the cocoons or there is a short pelagic period prior to metamorphosis. S. acmeceps spawns its gametes into seawater with development being entirely lecithotrophic. The larvae of S. acmeceps have the longest pelagic phase (up to 20 days) of any species of orbiniid thus far studied. Comparative aspects of orbiniid larval development are discussed. It is suggested that extreme differences in the development mode and larval morphology of S. armiger represent sibling species. |
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