Ecological features of Terebellida fauna (Annelida, Polychaeta) from Ensenada de San Simón (NW Spain)
- Cacabelos Reyes, Eva
- Moreira, Juan
- Lourido Soto, Antía
- Souza Troncoso, Jesús
ISSN: 1578-665X
Year of publication: 2011
Volume: 34
Issue: 1
Pages: 141-150
Type: Article
More publications in: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
Abstract
Ecological features of Terebellida (Annelida, Polychaeta) inhabiting the intertidal and subtidal soft-bottoms of Ensenada de San Simón (NW Spain) were analysed by means of quantitative sampling. A total of 4,814 specimens belonging to five families (Ampharetidae, Pectinariidae, Terebellidae, Trichobranchidae and Sabellariidae) and ten species were collected in a variety of substrata and depths. Ampharetidae was the numerically dominant family mostly due to the abundance of Ampharete finmarchica and Melinna palmata; these species accounted for up to 94% of the total Terebellida abundance. Intertidal areas colonised by the seagrasses Zostera marina L. and Z. noltii Hornem. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-two harboured low densities of Terebellida, whereas the deeper subtidal muddy bottoms showed high abundances of ampharetids. Multivariate analyses suggested that Terebellida assemblages are highly correlated with sediment composition.