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Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid
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Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 17314

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrés Arias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Organisms and Systems Biology, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: marine biodiversity; invertebrate zoology; invasive and alien marine and estuarine species; reproductive biology and sexual strategies; tropicalization; annelids; invertebrates
Prof. Dr. Sarah A. Woodin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Interests: benthic ecology; bioadvective forces; ecosystem engineers; disturbance; climate change and distribution patterns; stressors and response
Dr. Hannelore Paxton

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
2. Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Interests: systematics; Annelida; Eunicida; reproduction and development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue entitled “Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid”. Bristle-worms or polychaetes are marine annelids that occur from the littoral zone to the deepest trenches, inhabiting soft and rocky bottoms or leading a pelagic life. Among them, members of the family Onuphidae are among the most important polychaetes in soft sediment communities worldwide. The genus Diopatra, coveted as fishing bait for almost two centuries and renowned as an ecosystem engineer altering the structure and diversity of communities, has attracted attention in the last decade, not only for its surprising and unknown diversity, but also for other aspects, from being an indicator of climate change to a sentinel species of drugs in marine environments, as well as a study example of protandric hermaphroditism. This Special Issue represents a multidisciplinary forum to provide scientifically based insight as to the status of this important genus, its commercial use, genetics, diversity, ecology and distribution within a multidisciplinary and integrative perspective. We welcome research papers, communications, and review articles focusing on all scientific and applied aspects of Diopatra to improve our understanding of this amazing bristle worm.

Dr. Andrés Arias
Prof. Dr. Sarah A. Woodin
Dr. Hannelore Paxton
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • polychaetes
  • bio-indicator
  • baitworm
  • sentinel species
  • Onuphidae
  • engineer species
  • marine invertebrates

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 918 KiB  
Communication
Cryptic mtDNA Diversity of Diopatra cuprea (Onuphidae, Annelida) in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean
by Erik E. Sotka, Tina Bell and Sarah Berke
Biology 2023, 12(4), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12040521 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Marine annelid taxonomy is experiencing a period of rapid revision, with many previously “cosmopolitan” species being split into species with more limited geographic ranges. This is exemplified by the Diopatra genus, which has recently witnessed dozens of new species descriptions rooted in genetic [...] Read more.
Marine annelid taxonomy is experiencing a period of rapid revision, with many previously “cosmopolitan” species being split into species with more limited geographic ranges. This is exemplified by the Diopatra genus, which has recently witnessed dozens of new species descriptions rooted in genetic analyses. In the northwestern Atlantic, the name D. cuprea (Bosc 1802) has been applied to populations from Cape Cod through the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and Brazil. Here, we sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) in D. cuprea populations from the Gulf of Mexico to Massachusetts. We find evidence for several deep mitochondrial lineages, suggesting that cryptic diversity is present in the D. cuprea complex from this coastline. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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15 pages, 11078 KiB  
Article
Live to Die Another Day: Regeneration in Diopatra aciculata Knox and Cameron, 1971 (Annelida: Onuphidae) Collected as Bait in Knysna Estuary, South Africa
by Stephanie Schoeman and Carol A. Simon
Biology 2023, 12(3), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12030483 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2125
Abstract
Regeneration is critical for survivorship after injury, sublethal predation, and asexual reproduction; it allows individuals to recover, potentially enabling populations of bait species to overcome the effects of bait collection through incidental asexual reproduction. Opportunities for regeneration are created when worms break during [...] Read more.
Regeneration is critical for survivorship after injury, sublethal predation, and asexual reproduction; it allows individuals to recover, potentially enabling populations of bait species to overcome the effects of bait collection through incidental asexual reproduction. Opportunities for regeneration are created when worms break during collection (which happens more often than not) and are thrown back into the estuary. Additionally, the trade and movement of bait could result in the range expansion of invasive species. This study investigated bait collection habits of local fishermen and the in situ incidence of regeneration in the estuarine moonshine worm, Diopatra aciculata. The evidence shows that this species is capable of anterior and posterior regeneration. The disproportionately small percentage of worms that seem to be recovering from the degree of damage that may be inflicted during bait collection suggests that regeneration may not help worms to withstand the effects of bait collection. However, the continuous movement and discarding of even small numbers of bait in other estuaries can lead to range expansion through incremental build-up, forming new populations, if these fragments are large enough to regenerate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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14 pages, 2781 KiB  
Article
Insights into Environmental Drivers on the Reproductive Cycle of Diopatra neapolitana (Polychaeta: Onuphidae)
by Daniel Escobar-Ortega, Lucía Couceiro, Ramón Muíño, Edgar No and Nuria Fernández
Biology 2022, 11(10), 1504; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11101504 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1740
Abstract
The reproductive cycle of Diopatra neapolitana was studied over two years in Redondela (NW Spain), considering both the monthly evolution of the percentage of individuals with oocytes and the variation of the mean oocyte size. Moreover, since three other species of Diopatra have [...] Read more.
The reproductive cycle of Diopatra neapolitana was studied over two years in Redondela (NW Spain), considering both the monthly evolution of the percentage of individuals with oocytes and the variation of the mean oocyte size. Moreover, since three other species of Diopatra have recently been documented in regions geographically close to NW Spain, we first confirmed the identity of this species by carrying out a morphological identification of a representative number of the specimens collected. Our data showed a discontinuous reproductive season, with a period of proliferation and maturation of oocytes from January to September and asynchronous spawning events between July and October. Then, a resting period in the months of November and December was observed. We also explored the influence of some relevant environmental factors (namely, water temperature, photoperiod, salinity, primary production and upwelling index) on the observed reproductive cycle. The results suggest that water temperature is one of the most important drivers of the reproductive cycle for this species. Particularly, in Ría de Vigo, the reproductive cycle seems to be influenced by upwelling events of deep cold water that occur frequently between March and September, and that could act as a spawning-inducing switch. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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24 pages, 2410 KiB  
Article
Interplay of Seasonality, Major and Trace Elements: Impacts on the Polychaete Diopatra neapolitana
by Valéria Giménez, Paulo Cardoso, Carina Sá, Carla Patinha, Eduardo Ferreira da Silva, Etelvina Figueira and Adília Pires
Biology 2022, 11(8), 1153; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11081153 - 31 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1892
Abstract
Polychaetes are known to be good bioindicators of marine pollution, such as inorganic contamination. Major and trace elements are commonly present in sediment and may be accumulated by polychaetes such as the tubiculous Diopatra neapolitana. In this study, D. neapolitana individuals were [...] Read more.
Polychaetes are known to be good bioindicators of marine pollution, such as inorganic contamination. Major and trace elements are commonly present in sediment and may be accumulated by polychaetes such as the tubiculous Diopatra neapolitana. In this study, D. neapolitana individuals were collected in the autumn, winter, spring, and summer of 2018/2019 from the Ria de Aveiro lagoon (western Portugal) to understand how seasonality influences element accumulation. The impact of the interaction of seasonality and elements on oxidative status, energy metabolism, and oxidative damage was also assessed. The obtained results showed that the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione S-transferases, and non-protein thiol levels were higher in summer and that superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, and electron transport system activity increased in winter. The lowest glycogen levels were observed during spring, and protein carbonylation was the highest during autumn. These results could mainly be related to high temperatures and the bioaccumulation of Al, As, Mn, and Zn. Energy-related parameters increased during spring and autumn, mainly due to the bioaccumulation of the same elements during spring and summer. Lipid damage was higher during winter, which was mainly due to salinity and temperature decreases. Overall, this study demonstrates that seasonality plays a role in element accumulation by polychaetes and that both impact the oxidative status of D. neapolitana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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25 pages, 9606 KiB  
Article
Phylogeny and Cryptic Diversity of Diopatra (Onuphidae, Annelida) in the East Atlantic
by Martin M. Hektoen, Endre Willassen and Nataliya Budaeva
Biology 2022, 11(2), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11020327 - 18 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3118
Abstract
Diopatra Audouin & Milne-Edwards, 1833 is a species rich genus that is common in tropical and subtropical regions. The genus is readily identified by its striking, spiral branchiae, but species identification has historically been challenging due to a high variation in diagnostic characters [...] Read more.
Diopatra Audouin & Milne-Edwards, 1833 is a species rich genus that is common in tropical and subtropical regions. The genus is readily identified by its striking, spiral branchiae, but species identification has historically been challenging due to a high variation in diagnostic characters used. This study aims to reconstruct the phylogeny of Diopatra with molecular markers and assess the species diversity of West African Diopatra with the species delimitation programs bPTP and BPP. Specimens were collected from Morocco to Angola, and the markers COI, 16S and 28S were sequenced from 76 specimens. The constructed phylogeny retrieved Diopatra as monophyletic, as well as five well supported clades within the genus. All clades were defined by morphological characters, some of which have previously not been considered to have high phylogenetic or taxonomical value. Species delimitation analyses recovered 17 new species, several of which were not readily identified morphologically. One species complex comprising between one and 12 species was left unresolved due to incongruence between the species delimitation methods and challenging morphology. Our results indicate that the diversity of Diopatra is significantly underestimated, where this regional study near to doubled the number ofknown species from the East Atlantic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 4089 KiB  
Review
An Introduction to Diopatra, the Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaete
by Andrés Arias, Sarah A. Woodin and Hannelore Paxton
Biology 2023, 12(7), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12071027 - 21 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2242 | Correction
Abstract
The annelid genus Diopatra occurs in all major oceans but is best represented in the shallow depths of warmer waters, where it lives in elaborately decorated tubes. This paper provides an introduction to the animals, discussing their history and diversity. We describe and [...] Read more.
The annelid genus Diopatra occurs in all major oceans but is best represented in the shallow depths of warmer waters, where it lives in elaborately decorated tubes. This paper provides an introduction to the animals, discussing their history and diversity. We describe and illustrate its morphology and geographic distribution. While they were thought to be predominantly gonochoristic, recent reproductive studies show that several species are protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites. Development is by broadcast spawning with a brief pelagic stage or direct development in the parental tube or egg mass attached to it. Diopatra is a key ecosystem engineer, altering water flow and deposition and increasing the availability of refugia. We also discuss its harvesting as fishing bait, its role as an alien or introduced species, its capacity to regenerate, its therapeutic potential, and its applications as a bioindicator species for climate change, geographic distribution changes, and dispersal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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14 pages, 860 KiB  
Review
A Review of Diopatra Ecology: Current Knowledge, Open Questions, and Future Threats for an Ecosystem Engineering Polychaete
by Sarah K. Berke
Biology 2022, 11(10), 1485; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11101485 - 11 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2768
Abstract
A well-known example of marine ecosystem engineering is the annelid genus Diopatra, which builds large tubes in coastal sediments worldwide. Early studies of Diopatra were among the first to recognize the importance of facilitation in ecology, and Diopatra has become a key [...] Read more.
A well-known example of marine ecosystem engineering is the annelid genus Diopatra, which builds large tubes in coastal sediments worldwide. Early studies of Diopatra were among the first to recognize the importance of facilitation in ecology, and Diopatra has become a key marine soft-sediment application of the ecosystem engineering concept. Here, I review our current knowledge of Diopatra ecology, including its natural history, ecosystem engineering effects, and trophic relationships. I particularly explore how human activities are influencing Diopatra in terms of climate change, bait fishing, and species invasions. Most of what we know about Diopatra ecology comes from focal studies of a few species in a few well-known regions. Further evaluating how our current understanding applies to other species and/or other regions will help to refine and deepen our understanding of structure and function in marine systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid)
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