Tube Morphology, and Activity Patterns Related to Feeding and Tube-Building in the Polychaete Mesochaetopterus taylori Potts

This paper was originally published in 1995 by the Canadian Journal of Zoology 73: 509-517.   Full version pdf.

Tube morphology and activity patterns related to feeding and tube-building in Mesochaetopterus taylori Potts were examined using entire specimens and tubes. Tube orientation in situ at Patricia Bay, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, was typically L-shaped, buried to and rarely coursing deeper than 30 cm, with only 1-2 cm of tube aperture exposed at the sand surface. Perforations were found at a distinctive, thin-walled region at the buried apex of the tube, and were absent in the much thicker remaining tube length. Filter-feeding using one or two mucus bags was observed while a posteriorly directed peristalsis in the abdominal segments generated a current from the exposed tube opening toward the buried tube apex. Thermistor probe recordings of laboratory-held specimens showed feeding activity to be most prevalent during the day at an average rate of one mucus bag produced every 5.5 minutes. Mucus bags were also utilized to transport sand during excavation. Tube construction was noted to take place at the buried end of the tube, where old perforations were covered over and new perforations made as the tube was extended. The production of one sand casting per hour was noted in worms undergoing tube construction in laboratory aquaria. Our findings are compared with data available on other members of the Chaetopteridae.

Authors:
K.A. Sendall
Royal British Columbia Museum
675 Belleville St.
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9W2
CANADA

A.R. Fontaine
Formerly in Department of Biology,
University of Victoria
Victoria, B.C. V8W 2Y2
CANADA

D. O'Foighil
Department of Biological Sciences
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC. 29208
USA