The larval development of polychaeta from the northern California Coast. III eighteen species of errantia

Abstract

Abstract The larvae of 18 species of northern California errant polychaetous annelids were obtained and described. Larvae came from laboratory fertilizations, egg masses and plankton. Aspects of reproduction and larval development are presented and pertinent literature discussed. Some accounts such as those for Paleanotus bellis, Anaitides williamsi, Ophiodromus pugettensis, Platynereis bicanaliculata and Glycinde armigera are reasonably complete. Others, however, are only partial accounts of certain stages in the larval development. Most species treated have planktotrophic development, but Pholoe minuta, Ophiodromus pugettensis, Gyptis ?brunnea, Platynereis bicanaliculata and Dorvillea rudolphi are lecithotrophic. Feeding does not begin until just before or shortly after metamorphosis. Taxonomic problems which might be resolved by further larval studies are discussed for Pholoe minuta and Dorvillea rudolphi. This study contains the initial larval descriptions for the genera Paleanotus, Ophiodromus, Gyptis, Glycinde and Hemipodus.