Ecology and biology of marine oligochaeta — an inventory rather than another review

Abstract

Instead of updating the 1982-review by Giere & Pfannkuche, it was deemed more useful to highlight some recent and relevant studies given the limited number of new and pertinent publications. In addition, new data on population ecology, some recent results on symbiotic associations and descriptions of adaptations to oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide will be commented on. The scarcity of new ecological and biological studies on marine Oligochaeta, an animal group that often attains key positions in important shore areas, is alarming. Future research efforts on this ecologically relevant annelid group are seriously needed.