Bee Spionid

If you walk over the flats during low tide, you often see the top ends of the Pygospio elegans worms sticking out of the soft bottom. During high tide, two tentacles extend out of the tube which the worm uses to scrape the bottom. The vibrating hairs on the tentacles carry the food to the mouth. This worm is also capable of catching food with its appendages and by producing a mucus with its tube. Pygospio elegans is not tolerant to severe winters.

The planktonic larvae of S. bombyx have been observed in the period April-December, with maximal nurnbers in May-June and August-September. The species lives in a tube that slightly protrudes from the surface. S. bombyx probably is a selective deposit feeder, but specific observations are lacking (Hartmann-Schröder, 1971; Wolff, 1973; Fauchald & Jumars, 1979; Hayward & Ryland, 1990).

Thin and fragile bristle worm up to 60 mm long. Head features two striking horns at the front and one pointed horn at the back. Its palps are substantial but relatively short. Four eyes, no gills. The species constructs solid tubes consisting of sand grains. The colour of the anterior end is bright pink and becomes dark red to greenish brown towards the posterior end.

Saguenay Fjord, southern Gaspe waters (Baie des Chaleurs, Gaspe Bay to American, Orphan and Bradelle banks; eastern boundary: eastern Bradelle Valley), Magdalen Islands (from Eastern Bradelle valley to the west, as far as Cape North, including the Cape Breton Channel); Prince Edward Island (from the northern tip of Miscou Island, N.B. to Cape Breton Island south of Cheticamp, including the Northumberland Strait and Georges Bay to the Canso Strait causeway); Cobscook Bay to Cape Hatteras

S. bombyx is found at almost 50% of all stations sampled. Locally, i.e. to the west and north of the Wadden islands up to the Frisian Front, it is very abundant. In the central and northern part of the Oyster Ground the species is found in low densities. The distribution of S. bombyx extends far into the estuarine Delta area and it is also found in some parts of the Wadden Sea.

Spiophanes bombyx is widely spread across the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) and reaches a high frequency of occurrence in all areas. A low distribution frequency was only observed in the eastern coastal zone in the 1994-2001 period. In addition to its wide distribution pattern S. bombyx was mainly found in high densities (1976-1986 period: up to 1,500 ind./m2; 1994-2001 period: up to 12,000 ind./m2). In short, S. bombyx is one of the most common species on the BPNS.

bathyal, infralittoral and circalittoral of the Gulf and estuary

Although the species has been found in a variety of sediment types, its density distribution suggests a distinct preference for fine sandy substrates.

Spiophanes bombyx reaches a high relative occurrence in almost all sediment types. A relative occurrence of > 40% is reached in sediments with a median grain size of 100 to 550 µm and with a mud content of 0 to 90%.

Like Spio filicornis, a thin and fragile species with a maximum length of 60 mm and about 180 segments. The head is T-shaped and bears two large palps and four eyes arranged in a square. The first segment has characteristic curved chaetae. Gills are absent. The dorsal lobes of the parapodia are markedly pointed. The worm is bright pink in front and darker red or greenish brown towards the posterior. The species builds stiff tubes composed of sand grains (Hartmann- Schröder, 1971; Hayward & Ryland, 1990).