Spionid polychaetes (Annelida: Spionidae) boring into shells of molluscs of commercial interest in northern Patagonia, Argentina

DIEZ M. E.; RADASHEVSKY V. I.; ORENSANZ J. M.; CREMONTE F.

Lecce

Congreso; 10th International Polychaete Conference; 2010

University of Salento, DiSTeBA, Lecce - Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Napoli

Spionid polychaetes are often associated with other marine organisms including molluscs of commercial interest, both cultivated and harvested from natural populations. Some species occur at the surface of the shell as epibionts, while others bore into the shells. Heavy infestation by spionids may reduce growth rate and commercial value of valuable shellfish species. Most common shell borers are among polydorins, species of Polydora and related genera. The major objective of our project is to study the diversity, distribution, prevalence and damage caused by spionids to scallops (Aequipecten tehuelchus), mussels (Mytilus edulis ssp., Aulacomya atra) and oysters (Ostrea puelchana) commercially harvested in the gulfs of northern Argentine Patagonia (San Matías, San José and Nuevo). Here we present preliminary results about the morphology and taxonomy of polydorins found as epibionts or shell borers on those commercially valuable mollusks.