BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Nephtys hombergii
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	Vermiform segmented	Feeding method	Predator Scavenger
Mobility/Movement	Swimmer Crawler Burrower	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Molluscs, crustaceans & other polychaetes.	Habit	Free living
Bioturbator	Diffusive mixing	Flexibility	High (>45 degrees)
Fragility	Intermediate	Size	Medium(11-20 cm)
Height	Not relevant	Growth Rate	Insufficient information
Adult dispersal potential	100-1000m	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	Abundance Clay (1967f) lists densities of Nephtys hombergii reported by various authors from locations in the British Isles, which range from 570 per m² in the Tamar Estuary to 2 per m² at a location on the Northumbrian coast. Mobility Nephtys hombergii excavates no permanent burrow but continually changes course in the sediment in the hunt for food, so that a maze of temporary burrows is made, marked only by a mucilage lining. These tunnels are located 5 to 15 cm beneath the surface (Linke, 1939; Holme, 1949). The sampling technique of Vader (1964) showed that the worm can move very quickly through the substratum, downwards on the ebb tide and up again on the flood tide (Clay, 1967f). Nephtys hombergii is also capable of swimming short distances with an undulatory movement. Nutrition Adults of the species are carnivorous and captures prey with its eversible, papillated proboscis.
Biology References	Holme, 1949, Linke, 1939, Vader, 1964, Clay, 1967(f), Arndt & Schiedek, 1997, Beukema, 1987, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data,