Scoloplos armiger

Researched By	Lizzie Tyler	Data Supplied By	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Scoloplos armiger	Common name	A polychaete worm
MCS Code	P672	Recent Synonyms	None
Phylum	Annelida	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Polychaeta
Subclass		Order	Orbiniida
Suborder		Family	Orbiniidae
Genus	Scoloplos	Species	armiger
Subspecies
Additional Information	None entered
Taxonomy References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward et al., 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Fauchald, 1977
General Biology
Growth form	Vermiform segmented	Feeding method	Surface deposit feeder, Sub-surface deposit feeder
Mobility/Movement	Burrower	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Insufficient information	Habit	Burrow dwelling
Bioturbator	Diffusive mixing	Flexibility	High (>45 degrees)
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Medium(11-20 cm)
Height	Not relevant	Growth Rate	Insufficient information
Adult dispersal potential	100-1000m	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information	Gibbs (1968) described the worm as 'extremely fragile'. Up to 12 cm in length (Fish & Fish, 1996). Worms roam through burrow system down to 15 cm depth. Do not usually appear at sediment surface (Kruse et al., 2004).
Biology References	Kruse et al., 2003, Kruse et al., 2004, Gibbs, 1968, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Widely distributed in NW Europe and Britain on lower shore and in sublittoral (Fish & Fish, 1996),
Global distribution	Found from the Arctic and north west Europe to the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and the Antarctic.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	None entered
Substratum preferences	Coarse clean sand, Fine clean sand, Muddy sand	Physiographic preferences
Biological zone		Wave exposure
Tidal stream strength/Water flow		Salinity
Habitat Additional Information	None entered
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	III
Distribution References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward et al., 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Rasmussen, 1973, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Gonochoristic	Developmental mechanism	Lecithotrophic, Direct Development
Reproductive Season	Insufficient information	Reproductive Location	See additional information
Reproductive frequency	Annual episodic	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	3-5 years	Age at reproductive maturity	1-2 years
Generation time	Insufficient information	Fecundity
Egg/propagule size		Fertilization type	Insufficient information
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential See additional information Larval settlement period Insufficient information Duration of larval stage 11-30 days
Additional Information	Two types of development reported. A holobenthic type that crawls out from a cocoon fixed on the substrate and burrows immediately, usually associated with intertidal populations in North Sea region and adjacent waters and a pelagic larvae associated with subtidal populations (Kruse et al., 2003; Kruse et al., 2004). In Isle of Sylt, North Sea, egg cocoons found on intertidal flats between Feb-April (Kruse et al., 2004). Spawning varies with location. In North Sea, main spawn March, secondary (pelagic) spawn from offshore in Oct (Kruse et al., 2004). At Whitstable, spawned four times in one year, main late Feb-April (Gibbs, 1968). 600-1920 / m² Oosterschelde (Coosen et al., 1994), 800 / m² at Whitstable (Gibbs, 1968).
Reproduction References	Kruse et al., 2003, Kruse et al., 2004, Coosen et al., 1994, Gibbs, 1968, Eckert, 2003, Julie Bremner, unpub data, Bartolomaeus, 1998