areas on the New York-New Jersey outer continental shelf (Pearce. 

 Caracciolo. Halsey. and Rogers 1977a). In the New York Bight 

 apex. G. gracilis occurred in depths ranging from 9.6 to 34.0 m. It 

 was most abundant in coarse to medium sand with an organic con- 

 tent between 1.0 and 3.3%. It was not present in fine sediments 

 with extremely hiah oraanic contents (Fia. 30: Table 1). 



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73°40' 

 I 



Figure 30. — Distribution and abundance of Goniadella gracilis in the New York 

 l!i-hi apex. 



FEEDING ECOLOGY: The Goniadidae have well-developed 

 jaws and probably most species are predators, or at least carni- 

 vores, for very little sand is ever found in the gut (Pettibone 1963: 

 Day 1967). 



Wigley (1956) reported that G. gracilis has been found in the 

 stomachs of haddock off Georges Bank. 



REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH: Pettibone (1963) reported 

 that, when sexually mature, the Goniadidae may become modified 

 into an epitokous swimming form. In the posterior region, where 

 the sex products are formed, parapodial lobes become more elon- 

 gate. 



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: During the 1 976 anoxic event 

 off the coast of New Jersey. G. gracilis was abundant at heavily 

 impacted stations, implying a high tolerance of oxygen depletion 

 (Steimle and Radosh 1979). This was unexpected because in the 

 New York Bight apex samples. G. gracilis was rare in high organic 

 areas; this species is also known to be characteristic of ridge envi- 

 ronments (Boesch et al. 1977: Radosh et al. 1978*) in which anoxic 

 episodes maj be relatively rare. 



Nephtys bucera Ehlers, 1868 



DESCRIPTION: An active burrowing species, length to 300 

 mm, width to 20 mm, segments to 140 (Pettibone 1963). 



DISTRIBUTION: Gulf of St. Lawrence to North Carolina. Gulf 

 of Mexico (Pettibone 1963; Gardiner 1975). 



HABITAT: Intertidal to 180 m: found at low water in sand bars, 

 shifting sand, muddy sand, and collected from bottoms of sand and 

 stones (Pettibone 1963; Gardiner 1975). Nephtys bucera was col- 

 lected on the New York-New Jersey outer continental shelf (Pearce, 

 Caracciolo. Halsey. and Rogers 1977a) as well as in the New York 

 Bight apex, where it was found in all sediment types, particularly 

 medium to fine grained low organic sand. Nephrys bucera was 

 rarely found in high or medium organic content sediments (Fig. 31: 

 Table 1). 



7340' 

 ' 



Figure 31. — Distribution and abundance of Xephtys bucera in the New York 

 Bight ape\. 



FEEDING ECOLOGY: N. bucera is probably a surface deposit 

 feeder and/or carnivore (see following account of Nephrys incisa). 



REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH: No specific information 

 was available for N. bucera. however, it is probable that they pro- 

 duce planktotrophic larvae (see N. incisa). 



s Radosh. D.. A. Frame. T. Wilhelm. and R. Reid. 1978. Benthic survey of the 

 Baltimore Canyon Trough. May 1 974. Northeast Fisheries Center Sandy Hook Lab- 

 oratory. Informal Rep. SHL 78-8. 133 p. 



22 



