Gnathostomulida Abundant Alongside Polychaete Burrows
- 1 January 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Inter-Research Science Center in Marine Ecology Progress Series
- Vol. 6 (3) , 329-333
- https://doi.org/10.3354/meps006329
Abstract
Since their 1st description in 1956, Gnathostomulida have been regarded as one of the rarest taxa in marine benthos. On tidal flats in the North Sea they live alongside permanent polychaete burrows with up to 29 individuals and 5 spp, in 1 cm3 of sediment. Near burrows of Arenicola marina and Nereis virens, all species show a high degree of spatial overlap, indicating a narrow niche for the entire taxon. As a key factor to gnathostomulid distribution the activity of sulfur bacteria is proposed.This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
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