Scolelepis squamata (Müller, 1806)
A common juvenile polychaete within the bottom layers in Alaskan fast ice
Size
- juveniles 0.1-17 mm
- benthic adults up to 8 cm
Color & Characteristics
- Transluscent, often with a green gut full of algae
- Juveniles with 4 obvious black eyes
- Chaete bushy, of moderate length
Habitat
- Cosmopolitan (from tropical to polar seas)
- Juveniles either within ice or pelagic
- Larvae have been recorded in Alaskan sea ice from March to May
- Adults in intertidal zone, benthic
Feeding
- Juveniles within the ice appear to feed on the sea ice diatoms
- Adult S. squamata almost exclusively acts as a suspension feeder, using its long palps to catch floating particles
- The species is a common food item for demersal fish and is also eaten by birds
Life cycle
- Juveniles exploit fast ice during winter, shifting to benthos when ice melts or when size increases
- life expectancy of benthic phase unknown
Page Author: Rolf Gradinger
Created: Sept 15, 2010
