Ecology Summary - Owenia fusiformis

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Ecology of Owenia fusiformis

Main Ref.	López-Jamar, E., G. González and J. Mejuto, 1986
Remarks	Inhabits sandbanks and muddy bottoms of estuaries and inshore areas (Ref. 96352) and along the near-coastal zone. A tube-dwelling bristle worm, preferring fine to coarse sediment with 10 to 40% mud content. Its flexible tube, longer than the worm itself and made up of cemented sand grains and shell fragments, allows it to withdraw inward and the tube to subsequently bend down (Ref. 7882). A filter- and suspension feeder (Ref. 75621). Capable of surface deposit feeding (Ref. 87179). Feeds on organic detritus (Ref. 96352) and small invertebrates (Ref. 87179).

Main Ref.

López-Jamar, E., G. González and J. Mejuto, 1986

Remarks

Inhabits sandbanks and muddy bottoms of estuaries and inshore areas (Ref. 96352) and along the near-coastal zone. A tube-dwelling bristle worm, preferring fine to coarse sediment with 10 to 40% mud content. Its flexible tube, longer than the worm itself and made up of cemented sand grains and shell fragments, allows it to withdraw inward and the tube to subsequently bend down (Ref. 7882). A filter- and suspension feeder (Ref. 75621). Capable of surface deposit feeding (Ref. 87179). Feeds on organic detritus (Ref. 96352) and small invertebrates (Ref. 87179).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Owenia fusiformis may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: endofauna (infauna); macrobenthos; Soft Bottom: sand ( coarse, fine, ); mud;
Substrate Ref.	Degraer, S., J. Wittoeck, W. Appeltans, K. Cooreman, T. Deprez, H. Hillewaert, K. Hostens, J. Mees, E. Vanden Berghe and M. Vincx, 2006
Special habitats	Other habitats: burrows;
Special habitats Ref.	Le Pape, O., L. Baulier, A. Cloarec, J. Martin, F. Le Loc'h and Y. Désaunay, 2007

Associations

Ref.	López-Jamar, E., G. González and J. Mejuto, 1986
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19)
Feeding type Ref.	Gaudêncio, M.J. and H.N. Cabral, 2007
Feeding habit	variable
Feeding habit Ref.	Fauchald, K. and P.A. Jumars, 1979

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	2.00	0.00			Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items.
Ref.

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