Pygospio elegans

Researched By	Dan Bayley	Data Supplied By	MBA
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Pygospio elegans	Common name	A bristleworm
MCS Code	P775	Recent Synonyms	Pygospio minutus, Spio inversa, Spio rathbuni
Phylum	Annelida	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Polychaeta
Subclass	canalipalpata	Order	Spionida
Suborder		Family	Spionidae
Genus	Pygospio	Species	elegans
Subspecies
Additional Information
Taxonomy References	Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Fish & Fish, 1996, Fauchald, 1977
General Biology
Growth form	Tubicolous, Vermiform segmented	Feeding method
Mobility/Movement	Burrower	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types		Habit
Bioturbator		Flexibility
Fragility		Size	Small(1-2cm)
Height		Growth Rate
Adult dispersal potential		Dependency
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information
Biology References	Hayward & Ryland, 1990, , Giangrande, 1997
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	All Great Britain
Global distribution	North-East Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Pacific.
Biogeographic range	Temperate	Depth range
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information
Substratum preferences	Mud, Sandy mud, Crevices / fissures	Physiographic preferences
Biological zone	Sublittoral Fringe, Mid Eulittoral	Wave exposure
Tidal stream strength/Water flow		Salinity
Habitat Additional Information
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	III
Distribution References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Fish & Fish, 1996, Fauchald, 1977, Picton & Costello, 1998, JNCC, 1999, Bruce et al., 1963, Giangrande, 1997
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Gonochoristic	Developmental mechanism	Planktotrophic, Lecithotrophic, Direct Development
Reproductive Season	December-May or January-August	Reproductive Location	Adult burrow
Reproductive frequency		Regeneration potential	No
Life span	1 year	Age at reproductive maturity	<1 year
Generation time	<1 year	Fecundity	46- to 2000 eggs per spawning event
Egg/propagule size	300 µ m diameter	Fertilization type	External
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential Larval settlement period Duration of larval stage
Additional Information	After intratubular brooding, in some populations the larvae emerge and become planktotrophic, remaining pelagic from the 3-20 setiger range development. Other populations are lecithotropic/direct development.
Reproduction References	Giangrande, 1997, Gudmundsson, 1985, Jones and Frid, 2009