Carol A Simon

Stellenbosch University | SUN · Department of Botany and Zoology

The current study investigates the final unresolved cosmopolitan species of Marphysa in South Africa, Marphysa corallina , collected from KwaZulu Natal, Eastern and Western Cape provinces, together with another species collected from northern KwaZulu Natal. Morphological and genetic data prove that M. corallina , originally described from Hawaii, d...

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 (w...

This systematic review analysed scientific publications to identify relevant research about the impact of alien polychaete species around the world, using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis) guide. The criterion for inclusion was studies published in English, with the key terms (e.g. ‘impact’, ‘alien spec...

Polychaete worms are used widely as bait in South Africa, but common names are not used consistently among fishers or in the literature. This can have implications for conservation, since different polychaete species will not be equally vulnerable to exploitation, and uncertainties about the names of species make it difficult to monitor harvests to...

Previous identifcations and characterisations of southern African polychaete species are brief and many are based on northern hemisphere taxa. Hence, many species from family Nereididae were either misidentifed or incorrectly synonymised with species from other regions, leading to an incomplete understanding of the nereidid diversity and biogeograp...

Originally published in 1967, John H Day’s work ‘A monograph on the Polychaeta of southern Africa’ is still used widely to identify polychaetes. However, ongoing taxonomic revisions have revealed that several putative cosmopolitan or locally widespread taxa contained in the monograph are complexes of species with discrete distributions, globally an...

In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), more than 76 records from peer-reviewed and grey literature identified approximately 60 invertebrate taxa harvested for bait and food. The most diverse phyla were Mollusca, followed by Arthropoda and Annelida, with few records of Porifera, Nemertea and Echinodermata. Importance of each phylum differs according to...

Background Common names are frequently used inconsistently for marine annelid species used as bait in the peer-reviewed literature, field guides and legislative material. The taxonomy of many such species based on morphology only also ignores cryptic divergences not yet detected. Such inconsistencies hamper effective management of marine annelids,...

Polychaete worms of the Polydora-complex (commonly referred to as polydorins) include some of the most common pests of cultured molluscs. Modern culture of molluscs, particularly oysters, is associated with large-scale movement of stock which facilitates movement of polydorins either as “hitchhikers” on the transported molluscs or in the packaging....

In this study we report a new record of a cryptogenic polychaete from southern Africa. The species was found inhabiting sand tubes in intertidal sand flats in the Knysna Estuary on the southern coast of South Africa. Morphological comparisons using light and scanning electron microscopy showed extensive taxonomic similarities with Dipolydora social...

A vast polychaete fauna is hidden behind complexes of cryptic and pseudo-cryptic species, which has greatly hindered our understanding of species diversity in several regions worldwide. Among the eunicids, Marphysa sanguinea Montagu, 1813 is a typical example, recorded in three oceans and with various species considered its junior synonyms. In Sout...

Moonshine worms are a popular bait species used for fishing. The taxon was not detected during surveys of the macrobenthos conducted in Knysna in the 1940s and 1990s, and was first reported as a harvested bait species in the mid-2000s, suggesting that it appeared for the first time in the estuary in the last three decades. A previous molecular anal...

Several studies noted similarities between Polydora neocaeca Williams & Radashevsky, 1999, described from the northeast coast of the USA, and shell-boring Polydora haswelli Blake & Kudenov, 1978, described from southeast Australia, and emphasised the need for molecular data to resolve the taxonomy of these species. This study investigates the poten...

The bloodworm, Arenicola loveni, is commonly used as bait by fishers and may be vulnerable to local extinction owing to its K-selected life history strategies and overexploitation. Accurate population data that can inform management is, however, outdated, whereas demand for bloodworm continues or is even increasing. This study provides genetic data...

Taxonomy based on morphology can be difficult. The challenges arise from different sources such as poor original descriptions, new records based on inadequate knowledge, uncritical application of general assumptions or presence of complexes of cryptic species. One example of problematic taxonomy is the genus Diopatra Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1833 (...

The perceived cosmopolitanism of polychaete worms could be an artefact of historical factors such as poor original species descriptions, lack of type material and the European taxonomic bias, to name a few. Thus, it is possible that several cosmopolitan species hide complexes of cryptic and pseudocryptic species. Two putative cosmopolitan species,...

Over the last five decades, only two new species of Syllis (Syllidae, Annelida) have been described from South Africa, suggesting a greatly underestimated richness and the expectation that many more indigenous species still remain undescribed. In this paper, we describe three new species from algal turf along a rocky shore on the south coast of Sou...

Introduction: The knowledge of polychaetes in the subtropical region of Africa benefited from the activity of J. Day. However, 50 years after the publication of his Monograph of the Polychaeta of southern Africa, it is necessary to reconsider the identity of the Cirratulidae due to changes in the diagnostic characters and new approaches to the taxo...

To facilitate development of tailored management strategies for bait species within Knysna Estuary (South Africa), demand for bait, harvesting activity and perceptions around conservation among recreational and subsistence bait fishers were investigated. In 2015 and 2016, bait collectors were interviewed (n = 84) and observed (n = 167) during low t...

A common intertidal belt-forming serpulid Spirobranchus kraussii (Baird, 1865) was originally described from South Africa and subsequently reported from tropical and subtropical localities, mainly in the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean Sea. It generally is assumed that the wide distribution of the nominal species is a result of human-mediated transl...

The nereidid Pseudonereis variegata (Grube, 1866) described from Chile includes 14 synonymised species from 10 type localities with a discontinuous distribution, but no taxonomic or molecular studies have investigated the status of this species outside Chile. Two synonymised species, Mastigonereis podocirra Schmarda, 1861 and Nereis (Nereilepas) st...

El nuevo tipo morfológico de Protocirrineris encontrado para Sudáfrica es similar en forma y aspecto a P. angelicollatio del Atlántico sudoccidental y P. purgamentorum del Mar Mediterráneo, pero difieren en el número y posición de los segmentos con filamentos tentaculares, y el origen de las primeras branquias

More than 60% of the spionid polychaetes recorded in South Africa to date have type localities from outside the region. One of these is Rhynchospio glutaea (Ehlers, 1897), originally described from Argentina, which was suggested to have arrived in Table Bay via shipping. Recently specimens conforming to the description of R. glutaea were collected...

Pseudopolydora antennata was originally described by Claparède (Mem Soc Phys Hist Nat Geneve 20:1–225, 1869) from Teredo burrows in wood from the Gulf of Naples, but has also been recorded in South Africa, the Persian Gulf, South Australia, Japan and the Caribbean. This suggests that the species either has a cosmopolitan distribution, is an alien o...

The early detection and correct identification of polydorid polychaete species is essential as they are often encountered as invasive alien pests in aquaculture facilities or the intertidal where they may modify the ecosystem. Accurate identification is, however, often hampered by high levels of morphological similarity among species. This taxon wi...

It is necessary to monitor shell-associated polydorid worms owing to the risk that they pose to commercially important molluscs. This requires accurate identification, but is often hampered by morphological similarities among species, insufficient type specimens, and abridged species descriptions. Thus morphological characteristics and molecular se...

Boccardia proboscidea is a recently introduced polychaete in South Africa where it is a notorious pest of commercially reared abalone. Populations were originally restricted to abalone farms but a recent exodus into the wild at some localities has raised conservation concerns due to the species’ invasive status in other parts of the world. Here, we...

Biological invasions continue to increase around the world, with impacts on many coastal marine systems. Here we review the South African marine invasion literature which, despite the field being relatively new, has grown to have significant presence in both the local and international arenas. Of the 79 papers reviewed, 70% focused on the establish...

Confusion between terms and ambiguities among definitions have long plagued the field of invasion biology. One result is disruption in flow of information from researchers to policy-makers and managers who rely on science to inform regulatory frameworks and management actions. We reviewed the South African marine biology literature to quantify the...

Species of the Polydora-complex (i.e. polydorids) are the most common shell-boring polychaetes found on cultured molluscs. However, which species become problematic depend on their ability to reach mollusc farms and flourish under culture conditions. We therefore hypothesise that the planktonic larval phases of pest polydorids on molluscs grown on-...

The Ctenodrilidae is a species-poor family of the Annelida with an often debated affiliation, ranging from constituting a distinct annelid order to being part of the Cirratulidae. Furthermore, relationships of the included genera and species are not resolved. Ctenodrilus serratus, by far the most common member of this taxon, appears to have a world...

This study provides preliminary insights into how the culture method of molluscs and the larval developmental mode of pest polydorids may determine which species become pests. A total of 10 species were identified on oysters and abalone in offshore and oysters in onshore culture on the west coast of South Africa. One-factor PERMANOVA showed that ab...

Although there has been an increase in our understanding of the shell-boring polydorids that infest abalone Haliotis midae in South Africa, abalone from a limited number of farms, and wild populations from east of Cape Agulhas only, have been examined. To gain further knowledge and a more complete understanding of the local distribution of polydori...

Marine invasions are recognized as an important threat to global biodiversity and predicting the establishment and spread of an introduced species can aid efforts to mitigate the damage incurred by these species. To determine if the recently introduced polychaete Boccardia proboscidea can establish itself along the South African coast and subsequen...

Two new species of South African Syllidae of the genus Syllis Lamarck, 1818 are described. Syllis unzima sp. nov. is characterized by having unidentate compound chaetae with long spines on margin, a characteristic colour pattern and its reproduction by vivipary. Vivipary is not common among the polychaetes, but most representatives occur in the fam...

Females of the polychaete Polydora hoplura (Claparède 1869) that produced planktotrophic and adelphophagic larvae were compared genetically to determine whether the different reproductive morphs represented sibling species or poecilogony. Worms were collected from Saldanha Bay, South Africa (33°0′37.71S, 17°56′59.74E), and cultured in a laboratory...

Wild molluscs from five sites and farmed oysters and abalone from one site each along the south coast of South Africa were examined for shell-boring Polydora and Dipolydora. One new species each of Dipolydora and Polydora are described. D. keulderae sp. n. belongs to the D. barbilla / D. bidentata group and was present at all the sites sampled. P....

Despite a growing abalone Haliotis midae industry in South Africa, few studies have measured the effects of heavy metals on larval survival and growth in the face of recent increases in marine pollution. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of copper on survival and zinc on development of H. midae larvae. Larvae 24 hours old were expose...

Infestations by shell-boring polychaete worms represent a threat to the continued growth of the abalone culture industry. The South African cultivated abalone, Haliotis midae, is affected by 3 species; the spionids Boccardia proboscidea and Polydora hoplura and the sabellid, Terebrasabella heterouncinata. Currently there are no effective treatments...

Three species of Boccardia (B. polybranchia, B. pseudonatrix and B. proboscidea) were associated with mollusc shells on the south and south-east coasts of South Africa. Boccardia polybranchia was widely distributed along the coast and falls within the known distribution range of this species. Comparisons with material from other, international, loc...

South African cultured abalone, Haliotis midae, are commonly infested by the non-indigenous spionid polychaete, Boccardia proboscidea. This annelid species occurs naturally along the west coast of North America and around Japan, but has also been introduced in Hawaiʻi, Australia, New Zealand and perhaps the Iberian Peninsula. Reportedly, worms were...

Two species of the genus Pseudopolydora, Ps. dayii, sp. nov. and Ps. antennata, were associated with gastropods on the south and south-east coasts of South Africa. Pseudopolydora dayii is characterized by prominent post-chaetal notopodial lobes on chaetiger 1 with very long chaetae, a prominent occipital tentacle, having hooded hooks that start on...

Polydorid polychaetes can infest cultured abalone thereby reducing productivity. In order to effectively control these pests, their reproductive biology must be understood. The population dynamics and reproduction of polydorids infesting abalone Haliotis midae from two farms in South Africa is described using a length-based, age-structured model. S...

A study was conducted to identify and quantify the spionid polychaetes that infest cultured abalone Haliotis midae at aquaculture facilities on the west (Farm A), south (Farms B and C) and east (Farm D) coasts of South Africa. The relationship between total intensity of infestation by the polydorids and the condition of their hosts at Farms A, B an...

High levels of infestation by the polychaete Terebrasabella heterouncinata on cultured abalone may be attributed to elevated levels of fecundity in comparison with conspecifics in their natural habitat. It is not, however, known if a high reproductive output is sustained throughout the animal's life. The present study therefore measured the effect...

The sabellid, Terebrasabella heterouncinata, is a small (s shell matrix. It is a semi-continuous breeder and despite producing small numbers of large eggs, infestation by this animal has reached epidemic proportions on local abalone farms. The present study compared the morphometrics and reproductive characteristics of worms from farmed and wild ab...

The sabellid polychaete, Terebrasabella heterouncinata, forms burrows in gastropod shells. It is a small, intratubular brooder that breeds semi-continuously. It has been shown to self-fertilize, but its reproductive biology suggests that some form of sperm transfer must occur between individuals. To gain an understanding of its fertilization biolog...

Terebrasabella heterouncinata is a small, semi-continuous breeder that has become a pest on cultured abalone. Its success on the farms may, in part, be related to an increase in fecundity and the rate at which eggs are produced in response to increased food availability. In this study, the ultrastructure of vitellogenesis was described to determine...

Heavy infestation by the shell-infesting sabellid, Terebrasabella heterouncinata, has been shown to cause a reduction in the growth rate and marketability of cultured abalone. This worm is endemic to South Africa and the locally cultured abalone, Haliotis midae, are under constant threat of infestation. An understanding of factors that influence ab...

The effect of diet type and the presence or absence of a live host on the growth and production of eggs and larvae by Terebrasabella heterouncinata were quantified. Diet was shown not to have a significant effect on the time in which the worms on live hosts reached their maximum size. Diet did, however, influence the maximum size and consequently t...

The style enzymes and enteric bacteria of two intertidal mussels, Perna perna (L.) and Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr), were tested for activity on ten structural and storage carbohydrates. Both mussels digested the storage carboyhydrates amylose, glycogen and laminarin, and the structural carbohydrate carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). C. meridionalis...