TY  - JOUR
AB  - The polychaete <i>Polydora colonia</i> is a widely distributed symbiont of sponges that has been reported as introduced into the Mediterranean Sea. <i>Polydora colonia</i> is re-described based on specimens associated with the sponges <i>Microciona prolifera</i> and <i>Halichondria bowerbanki</i> from New York and aspects of its reproduction and feeding biology are described for the first time. The morphology of <i>P. colonia</i> agrees with previous reports of this species. Females of <i>P. colonia</i> deposited egg capsules (14-19 eggs/capsule) in their tubes on sponges and adelphophagy was observed. Larvae appear to be competent to settle on hosts at the 13-chaetiger stage. One commensal ciliate and one parasitic copepod were found associated with <i>P. colonia</i>. <i>P. colonia</i> as an introduced species is evaluated based on current evidence. Sponge material was observed in the gut of >50% of the worms examined but further studies are needed to evaluate whether <i>P. colonia</i> is selectively feeding on <i>M. prolifera</i>.
A1  - David, Andrew A.
A1  - Williams, Jason D.
DO  - 10.1080/00222933.2012.679323
JO  - Journal of Natural History
N1  - World Polychaeta Database (WPolyDb)
SP  - 1509
EP  - 1528
C1  - 46(23-24): 1509-1528
TI  - Morphology and natural history of the cryptogenic sponge associate <i>Polydora colonia</i> Moore, 1907 (Polychaeta: Spionidae)
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2012.679323
VL  - 46
PY  - 2012
Y2  - 2026-08-09
ER  -