Conclusions. Carrying out this work, we for the first time explored distribution
of the polychaeta P. kefersteini along the Crimean shoreline and by pseudolitoral
depths. In the size structure of P. kefersteini population inhabiting the pseudolitoral
zone 20–35-mm long worms dominate (75%); with increasing depth they occur
more and more rarely, decreasing to 21% at 1 m and to 1% at 1.5 m depths. For the
first time growth and development of juvenile (0.3–1.45-mm large) P. kefersteini
were studied and the time at which chaetae first arose on the body determined; in
particular, forked chaeta appeared in the individuals with 2–3-segment bodies.
Keywords Polychaeta • Dorvilleidae • Protodorvillea kefersteini • The Black Sea
24.1 Introduction
In the Black Sea, 3 Genus of Dorvilleidae were reported: Dorvillea Parfitt, 1866;
Schistomerngos Jumars 1974; Protodorvillea Rettibone, 1961. Protodorvillea
kefersteini is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic coast of North
America, Ireland and Argentina (Garry and Simpson 2006; Jumars 1974; Kiseleva
2004; Malthus et al. 2006; Willems et al. 2009; Zaabi et al. 2009). In the Black Sea,
this species occurs near the shores of Bulgaria and along the Crimean coastline
(Boltachova et al. 2002; Kiseleva 2004; Kopiy 2011; S ¸ ahin 2012; Yakubova 1930).
This species usually inhabits coastal coarse sandy with a mixture of gravel, shell,
sandy soil or sand with a mixture of mud, among eelgrass roots to a depth of 20 m
(Losovskaya 1977; Marinov 1966; Surugiu 2005; Vinogradov 1949). According to
others, P. kefersteinia registered at a depth of 44 and 60 m. Protodorvillea tolerant
of lack of oxygen and the presence of H 2 S (Jumars 1974; Kiseleva 2004; Zaabi et al.
2009).
The aims of the present paper are to learn more about the biology of
P. kefersteinia and to increase our knowledge about the present state of its population structures along the coast of Crimea.
24.2 Materials and Methods
Samples of macrobenthos were collected from different areas of the Crimean
coastal zone (the Black Sea), during 2006–2011 (Fig. 24.1).
More than 800 benthos samples were collected from the pseudolitoral zone by
using a hand bottom-sampler with the 0.04 m
2 capture area. Pseuvdolitoral is a
narrow strip of beach. It is between the top edge of the splash and riprap beach.
Samples were then fixed with 4% formaldehyde and transferred to the laboratory
(Department of the Ecology of Benthos, IMBR). The material was washed with tap
water on a sieve with 0.5 mm mesh size and then sorted according to taxonomic
groups. Specimens of P. kefersteini were examined under a stereomicroscope.
406
V. Kopiy
of the polychaeta P. kefersteini along the Crimean shoreline and by pseudolitoral
depths. In the size structure of P. kefersteini population inhabiting the pseudolitoral
zone 20–35-mm long worms dominate (75%); with increasing depth they occur
more and more rarely, decreasing to 21% at 1 m and to 1% at 1.5 m depths. For the
first time growth and development of juvenile (0.3–1.45-mm large) P. kefersteini
were studied and the time at which chaetae first arose on the body determined; in
particular, forked chaeta appeared in the individuals with 2–3-segment bodies.
Keywords Polychaeta • Dorvilleidae • Protodorvillea kefersteini • The Black Sea
24.1 Introduction
In the Black Sea, 3 Genus of Dorvilleidae were reported: Dorvillea Parfitt, 1866;
Schistomerngos Jumars 1974; Protodorvillea Rettibone, 1961. Protodorvillea
kefersteini is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic coast of North
America, Ireland and Argentina (Garry and Simpson 2006; Jumars 1974; Kiseleva
2004; Malthus et al. 2006; Willems et al. 2009; Zaabi et al. 2009). In the Black Sea,
this species occurs near the shores of Bulgaria and along the Crimean coastline
(Boltachova et al. 2002; Kiseleva 2004; Kopiy 2011; S ¸ ahin 2012; Yakubova 1930).
This species usually inhabits coastal coarse sandy with a mixture of gravel, shell,
sandy soil or sand with a mixture of mud, among eelgrass roots to a depth of 20 m
(Losovskaya 1977; Marinov 1966; Surugiu 2005; Vinogradov 1949). According to
others, P. kefersteinia registered at a depth of 44 and 60 m. Protodorvillea tolerant
of lack of oxygen and the presence of H 2 S (Jumars 1974; Kiseleva 2004; Zaabi et al.
2009).
The aims of the present paper are to learn more about the biology of
P. kefersteinia and to increase our knowledge about the present state of its population structures along the coast of Crimea.
24.2 Materials and Methods
Samples of macrobenthos were collected from different areas of the Crimean
coastal zone (the Black Sea), during 2006–2011 (Fig. 24.1).
More than 800 benthos samples were collected from the pseudolitoral zone by
using a hand bottom-sampler with the 0.04 m
2 capture area. Pseuvdolitoral is a
narrow strip of beach. It is between the top edge of the splash and riprap beach.
Samples were then fixed with 4% formaldehyde and transferred to the laboratory
(Department of the Ecology of Benthos, IMBR). The material was washed with tap
water on a sieve with 0.5 mm mesh size and then sorted according to taxonomic
groups. Specimens of P. kefersteini were examined under a stereomicroscope.
406
V. Kopiy