Feeding behavior of the cirratulid Cirriformia filigera (Delle Chiaje, 1825) (Annelida: Polychaeta)

Abstract

Observations of the feeding behavior of Cirriformia filigera (Delle Chiaje, 1825) (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the intertidal zone of São Francisco and Engenho D'água beaches (São Sebastião, State of São Paulo) were made in the laboratory. This species, like other cirratulids, is a deposit feeder, feeding mainly on sediment surface with the aid of its grooved and ciliated palps, which are used to capture food particles. The worm lies just beneath the substrate surface in a J-shaped tube. When feeding, it extends up to 4 palps over the sediment surface, capturing food particles which pass down the groove of each palp directly to the mouth. Only fine sand grains are ingested. The worm frequently extends 4 branchial filaments into the overlying water for aeration. When it moves with the prostomium sideways, it collects and transports sand grains that pass backwards along its ventral region until reaching the middle part of its body. Next, the parapodia and palps move the sand grains to the dorsal posterior end of the animal, covering this area with sand. Some sand grains are also ingested as the worm moves.

The effects of substrate composition on foraging behavior and growth rate of larval green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris

“…A gastric lavage study by Brosse et al (2000) on juvenile Atlantic sturgeon showed that polychaetes constituted the main consumed prey, which was similar to findings in the juvenile Gulf sturgeon (Johnson et al 1997) and in the juvenile starry sturgeon, Acipenser stellatus (Beamish et al 1998). Polychaetes themselves are deposit feeders and often ingest sand grains when feeding and moving through the substrate (Pardo and Amarai 2004). Gawlicka et al (1996) noted GI, stomach, liver and pancreas degeneration in larval white sturgeon when fed carrageenan micro-bound diets leading them to believe that the fish had difficultly in digesting a natural polysaccharide such as carrageenan, which resulted in low survival rates and decreases in weight.…”

Influence of a burrowing, metal-tolerant polychaete on benthic metabolism, denitrification and nitrogen regeneration in contaminated estuarine sediments

“…C. filigera has a wide ranging distribution worldwide and is notably reported from areas of high anthropogenic disturbance. It is a relatively large (up to 250 mm), surface deposit-feeder, that forms J-shaped tubes and feeds mainly on surface particulate matter by extending palps over the sediment surface (Pardo and Amaral, 2004) (Fig. 1).…”

“…Cirriformia filigera with branchial filaments and feeding palps extended (reproduced with permission fromPardo and Amaral, 2004).…”

Biodiversidade e modelagem estatística da comunidade de poliquetas de fundos inconsolidados do complexo recifal Sebastião Gomes, Banco dos Abrolhos (BA, Brasil)

“…As espécies da família Cirratulidae capturam o alimento com auxílio dos seus palpos ou diretamente com a boca enquanto se locomovem, sendo detritívoras tanto de superfície quanto de subsuperfície (Fauchald & Jumars, 1979;Word, 1980;Pardo & Amaral, 2004 Há pouquíssimos registros do gênero Aphelochaeta no Brasil (Pardo & Amaral, 2009;Shimabukuro, 2011;Amaral et al, 2012). Até hoje, este gênero não havia aparecido em sedimentos ao redor de recifes brasileiros (Dutra et al, 2006a;Paiva et al, 2007).…”