Armandia cirrhosa

Researched By	Nicola White	Data Supplied By	MarLIN
Refereed by	Dr Richard S.K. Barnes
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Armandia cirrhosa	Common name	Lagoon sandworm
MCS Code	P1010	Recent Synonyms	None
Phylum	Annelida	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Polychaeta
Subclass		Order	Opheliida
Suborder		Family	Opheliidae
Genus	Armandia	Species	cirrhosa
Subspecies
Additional Information	Almost nothing is known of its biology.
Taxonomy References	Howson & Picton, 1997, Downie, 1996, Barnes, 1994, Rouse & Pleijel, 2001
General Biology
Growth form	Vermiform segmented	Feeding method	Sub-surface deposit feeder
Mobility/Movement	Burrower, Swimmer	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Detritus	Habit	Burrow dwelling
Bioturbator		Flexibility	High (>45 degrees)
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Very small(<1cm)
Height		Growth Rate	Insufficient information
Adult dispersal potential	Insufficient information	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information	Almost nothing is known of the biology of this species. Abundance varies markedly, from 463 individuals per metre square in Eight-Acre Pond to just 12 specimens recorded after extensive searching in the whole of the Fleet and Portland Harbour.
Biology References	Rouse & Pleijel, 2001
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Eight Acre Pond in the Keyhaven-Lymington lagoons in Hampshire; Small Mouth Spit (Portland Harbour) and East Fleet Sandbank (Fleet Lagoon) in Dorset.
Global distribution	South from the English Channel along the eastern Atlantic coasts, on Madeira and in the Mediterranean and Adriatic.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	The species was formerly very abundant in Eight-Acre Pond, Hampshire, but despite repeated surveys has not been recorded there since 1990. Two new sites were discovered in Dorset in 1994, bringing the total number of sites in the UK to 3.
Substratum preferences	Muddy gravel, Muddy sand	Physiographic preferences	Isolated saline water (Lagoon)
Biological zone	Lower Eulittoral	Wave exposure	Very Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Insufficient information, See additional information	Salinity	Reduced (18-30 psu), Variable (18-40 psu)
Habitat Additional Information	None entered
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	I
Distribution References	Downie, 1996, Barnes, 1994, Anonymous, 1999(s), Rouse & Pleijel, 2001
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Insufficient information	Developmental mechanism	Planktotrophic
Reproductive Season	Insufficient information	Reproductive Location	Insufficient information
Reproductive frequency	Insufficient information	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	Insufficient information	Age at reproductive maturity	Insufficient information
Generation time	Insufficient information	Fecundity	Insufficient information
Egg/propagule size	Insufficient information	Fertilization type	Insufficient information
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential Insufficient information Larval settlement period Insufficient information Duration of larval stage Insufficient information
Additional Information	Some Armandia species are known to swarm up into the water to spawn (Rouse & Pleijel, 2001). Armandia cirrosa has planktotrophic larvae (Rouse & Pleijel, 2001).
Reproduction References	Rouse & Pleijel, 2001