It is postulated that many syllid species are carnivorous, using 

 the pharyngeal armature to pierce the body wall of prey organisms such 

 as colonial invertebrates, and then sucking their body fluids by means 

 of a proventricular pumping action. Examples of this predatory behavior 

 are displayed by the Autolytinae, many of which specialize on hydroids. 

 However, the Exogoninae are probably selective deposit-feeders of mud or 

 detritus. Diatoms may be an important food source for some species 

 (Fauchald and Jumars, 1979:251). Syllids in laboratory cultures have 

 been maintained successfully on hydroids (Schiedges, 1979). 



Reproduction in syllids commonly involves the formation of a sexual 

 individual (stolon or epitoke) from the asexual (atokous) individual. 

 This process is called epitoky, and results either through direct trans- 

 formation of the atokous individual, or through budding. In direct 

 transformation, the body cavity becomes filled with eggs or sperm, the 

 eyes may enlarge, and notopodial natatory setae may develop (e.g., 

 Odontosyllis ). Budding involves the asexual production of stolons from 

 the parental atoke or "stock" individual. The stolons may be produced 

 as a single posterior bud either similar to the parental stock (as in 

 many species of Sy His , Trypanosy His , and Eurysy His ) or quite dis- 

 similar from the stock (as in "saccocirrus" (female) and "polybostri- 

 chus" (male) sexual stolons of Autolytus ). Stolons may also develop as 

 a chain of similar buds (e.g., Myr ianida ), a cluster of buds at the 

 posterior end (e.g., certain Trypanosyllis ), or a segmental prolifera- 

 tion of stolons from the sides of the parental stock (e.g., Syllis 

 ramosa ) . 



Following either direct transformation or budding, the epitokes 

 detach from the parental stock, develop to sexual maturity, and may 

 swarm. In swarming, numerous individuals of both sexes swim to the 

 surface where gametes are spawned, leading to fertilization. 



Some syllids exhibit parental brood care of their young. For 

 example, females among the Exogoninae carry their developing embryos 

 attached to their dorsum or ventrum. In certain species of Pionosyllis , 

 the female remains with the developing eggs in a tubular cocoon attached 

 to a hydroid stem until the young are ready to leave the cocoon (Day, 

 1967:236). 



SPECIES OF SYLLIDAE RECORDED FROM 

 GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS PROGRAMS 



Page 



? Proceraea cornuta (Agassiz, 1863) 30-8 



Autolytus dentalius Imajima, 1966 30-12 



Autolytus sp. A 30-15 



Myrianida sp. A 30-15 



Brani a clavata (Claparede, 1863) 30-16 



Brania sp. A 30-19 



Brania wellf leetensis Pettibone, 1956 30-21 



Brania swedmarki Gidholm, 1962 30-23 



Sphaerosyllis longicauda Webster and Benedict, 1887 30-24 



Sphaerosyllis aciculata Perkins, 1981 30-27 



Sphaerosyllis taylori Perkins, 1981 30-29 



Sphaerosyllis piriferopsis Perkins, 1981 30-31 



Sphaerosyllis glandulata Perkins, 1981 30-33 



Exogone atlantica Perkins, 1981 30-34 



30-4 



