New observations on the terebellid (Polychaeta) aulophore larvae on the French coasts
In: Ophelia: International Journal of Marine Biology. Ophelia Publications: Helsingør. ISSN 0078-5326, more
|  |
| Abstract |
The term aulophore describes a pelagic larval stage bearing a mucous tube. The first terebellid aulophore larva was described in 1863, but data about these larvae are still scarce. The present work, with a review of the literature on terebellid aulophore larvae, and a re-examination of different unspecified records of aulophore larvae, is applied to the particular study of the aulophores of three species at the French coasts: Lanice conchilega, a second species of this genus the developmental study of which provides evidence of the existence of af new species here designated under the name of Lanice sp., and a species of the genus Loimia. Distinctive characters, mainly based on the morphology of the planktonic tube and the uncinal plates are given for these three species, with a key to the best known species. A new life cycle is proposed for L. conchilega. This study expresses doubts about the large distribution range of the species L. conchilega, since such a large distribution range may correspond to a mixing of species, and systematics seldom takes into account the larval and juvenile stages. |
|
