ABSTRACT The bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) is an amphinomid polychaete with a circumtropical Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution. In the Mediterranean Sea, very little information is available on its feeding habits and ecological functions. Here, its increasing abundance and the ability to actively prey on a keystone sea urchin species suggest potential repercussions for the structure and functioning of benthic communities. We performed laboratory feeding experiments to investigate interactions between Mediterranean H. carunculata and 12 species of sessile or sedentary invertebrates. H. carunculata preyed efficiently on 9 of the species offered. In particular, active predation of a polychaete upon nudibranchs, colonial ascidians and chitons was reported for the first time. Fireworms’ predatory ability may be due to a combination of several ‘weapons’ (large size, motility, stinging chaetae and eversible, sucking pharynx) which seems to be unique among marine worms, and could enable H. carunculata to persist also after radical changes in prey community composition and withstand selective pressures associated with ongoing environmental changes.

中文翻译：

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胡须火虫（Hermodice carunculata）和地中海底栖无脊椎动物之间捕食者-猎物相互作用的实验室观察

摘要 胡须萤火虫 (Hermodice carunculata) 是一种两栖类多毛类动物，具有环热带大西洋-地中海分布。在地中海，关于其进食习性和生态功能的信息很少。在这里，其日益丰富的数量和积极捕食关键海胆物种的能力表明，它对底栖群落的结构和功能产生了潜在的影响。我们进行了实验室喂养实验，以研究地中海 H. carunculata 与 12 种无柄或久坐无脊椎动物之间的相互作用。H. carunculata 有效地捕食了所提供的 9 种物种。特别是，第一次报告了多毛类对裸鳃类动物、殖民地海鞘和石鳖的主动捕食。