BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Sabellaria spinulosa
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Lizzie Tyler	Data supplied by	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
General Biology
Growth form	Tubicolous Vermiform segmented	Feeding method	Passive suspension feeder Active suspension feeder
Mobility/Movement	Permanent attachment	Environmental position	Epifaunal
Typical food types	Phytoplankton	Habit	Tubiculous
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Intermediate	Size	Small-medium(3-10cm)
Height	2-3 cm	Growth Rate	Field unresearched
Adult dispersal potential	None	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Gregarious
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	Can be found in very high densities, for example when forming a reef. Typically found in lower densities as a crust or as individuals. At the Bristol Channel location studied by George & Warwick (1986), densities in excess of 4,000/m² for loosely aggregated Sabellaria spinulosa were recorded whilst the area sampled by Hiscock & Rostron (unpublished) on a level hard substratum had a single layer crust with 9,561 individual Sabellaria spinulosa in 1.4m². There has been considerable concern about decline in Sabellaria spinulosa reefs and shrimp fisheries have been implicated in the decline. However, Vorberg (2000) could find no damage caused after experiments with shrimp trawls in the Wadden Sea and suggests that declines might be more associated with changing patterns of currents perhaps associated with construction, dredging and dumping.
Biology References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, English Nature, 1998, George & Warwick, 1985, Vorberg, 2000, Holt et al., 1998, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Heidi Tillin, unpub data, Julie Bremner, unpub data, Rees & Dare, 1993,