Overview
Brief Summary
Thoracophelia are burrowing deposit feeders, generally found in the mid- to upper intertidal areas of sandy intertidals. Thoracophelia are characterized by having the body divided into three distinct body regions: (1) a head, (2) a swollen thoracic region, and (3) a longer narrower posterior region containing a ventral groove and branchiae.
Thoracophelia can be distinguished by branchial structures, such as the three species found in North America: T. mucronata (Treadwell, 1914) is found along the west coast of North America and T. dillonensis (Hartman, 1938) and T. williamsi (Hartman, 1938) are found in central California.
- Law CL, Dorgan KM, & Rouse GW. 2013. Validation of three sympatric Thoracophelia species (Annelida: Opheliidae) from Dillon Beach, California using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. Zootaxa 3608: 067-074.
© Chris Law
Supplier: Chris Law
Unreviewed
Physical Description
Morphology
The body of Thoracophelia spp. is divided into three distinct body regions: 1) an anterior cephalic region consisting of the prostomium and first two setigers; (2) a swollen thoracic region; and (3) a long narrow posterior region characterized by a ventral groove and branchiae. A transverse groove/lateral notopodial ridge separates the thoracic and posterior region (Santos et al., 2004).
- Blake, J. A. (2011) Revalidation of the genus Thoracophelia Ehlers, 1897, replacing Euzonus Grube, 1866 (Polychaeta: Opheliidae), junior homonym of Euzonus Menge, 1854 (Arthropoda: Diplopoda), together with a literature summary and updated listing of Thoracophelia species. Zootaxa, 2807, 65-69.
- Santos, C. S. G., Nonato, E. F. & Petersen, M. E. (2004) Two new species of Opheliidae (Annelida: Polychaeta): Euzonus papillatus sp. n. from a northeastern Brazilian sandy beach and Euzonus mammillatus sp. n. from the continental shelf of south- eastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 478, 1-12.
© Chris Law
Supplier: Chris Law
Unreviewed
Ecology
Habitat
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 4 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 4008
Temperature range (°C): 0.836 - 12.466
Nitrate (umol/L): 3.089 - 32.948
Salinity (PPS): 31.538 - 34.706
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.850 - 6.346
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.565 - 2.262
Silicate (umol/l): 9.560 - 121.431
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0 - 4008
Temperature range (°C): 0.836 - 12.466
Nitrate (umol/L): 3.089 - 32.948
Salinity (PPS): 31.538 - 34.706
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.850 - 6.346
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.565 - 2.262
Silicate (umol/l): 9.560 - 121.431
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Trusted
Associations
Known predators
Actinopterygii
Based on studies in:
USA: California (Coastal)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- J. W. Nybakken, Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (Harper and Row, New York, 1982), from p. 242.
© SPIRE project
Source:
SPIRE
Trusted
Known prey organisms
detritus
Based on studies in:
USA: California (Coastal)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- J. W. Nybakken, Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (Harper and Row, New York, 1982), from p. 242.
© SPIRE project
Source:
SPIRE
Trusted
Notes
The name Euzonus Grube has been replaced by Thoracophelia Ehlers
- Blake, J. A. (2011) Revalidation of the genus Thoracophelia Ehlers, 1897, replacing Euzonus Grube, 1866 (Polychaeta: Opheliidae), junior homonym of Euzonus Menge, 1854 (Arthropoda: Diplopoda), together with a literature summary and updated listing of Thoracophelia species. Zootaxa, 2807, 65-69.
© Chris Law
Supplier: Chris Law
Unreviewed
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