hesionid polychaete Psamathe fauveli

Psamathe fauveli is found in Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula at depths from 6 to 1,040 meters [1,3,7,8]. P. fauveli is abundant on hard bottoms in Terra Nova Bay, particularly from 12-16 meters depth, in association mainly with the algae Phyllophora antarctica [6].

Hesionid polychaetes are active worms; many are carnivorous [5]. Antarctic polychaetes have a much higher percentage of unique species than polychaete faunas in other parts of the world [4].

Taxonomic Note: Sometimes reported as Kefersteinia fauveli [7,8]. The relationship between the genera Kefersteinia and Psamathe is confused; the genus Kefersteinia is synonymous with Psamathe, with Psamathe being older and available [2].

1: Polychaeta Errantia of Antarctica. O Hartman. Antarctic Research Series Volume 3. Washington DC : American Geophysical Union, 1964; 2: Zoologica Scripta 27(2):89-163, 1998; 3: Polychaeta from the Weddell Sea Quadrant, Antarctica. O Hartman. Washington DC : American Geophysical Union, 1978. Biology of the Antarctic Seas 6, Paper 4. Antarctic Research Series volume 26, number 4; 4: Adaptations within Antarctic Ecosystems, Proceedings of the Third SCAR Symposium on Antarctic Biology. GA Llano, ed. Washington, DC : Smithsonian Institution, 1977. pp.1111- 1127; 5: Marine Invertebrates of Southern Australia, Part 1. SA Shepherd & IM Thomas. Adelaide, South Australia: DJ Woolman Government Printer, 1982; 6: Ross Sea Ecology : Italiantartide Expeditions (1987-1995). FM Faranda, L Guglielmo, A Ianora, eds. Berlin : Springer, 2000. pp. 551-561; 7: Tethys 6(3):631-653, 1974; 8: Ross Sea Ecology : Italiantartide Expeditions (1987-1995). FM Faranda, L Guglielmo, A Ianora, eds. Berlin : Springer, 2000. pp. 530-538

Text ©Peter Brueggeman. Photograph ©Canadian Museum of Nature (Kathleen Conlan). Photograph may not be used in any form without the express written permission of Canadian Museum of Nature (Kathleen Conlan).