Occurrence of Polydora pulchra Carazzi in British Waters

Abstract

While studying the seasonal variation in plankton and hydrography of the plaice ponds at the Marine Biological Station, Port Erin, I came across a dense population of larvæ belonging to the species Polydora pulchra Carazzi (Polychaeta Spionidae). The identification is based on the key, descriptions and figures given by Hannerz¹. The identification was further confirmed when the larvæ metamorphosed in the laboratory.