Glycera alba (O. F. Müller 1776)

Medium-sized (up to 75 mm long) bristle worm whose body narrows towards both ends. The eversible proboscis has papillae and four jaws. The antennae are very small. Segments are subdivided into rings. Small parapodia with clear gills. Colour: milk white.

Bay of Fundy; Iceland; North Sea; English Channel; France; Mediterranean

Distribution: Indian Ocean, India, Red Sea, atlantic Ocean. (Fauvel,1957).

In the 1976-1986 period Glycera alba was only found twice (western coastal zone; maximum 4 ind./m2). In the 1994-2001 period the species was more widely distributed and was mainly found in the western near-coastal zone. Glycera alba was observed only sporadically in the open sea zone. In this period the species reached a maximum density of 100 ind./m2.

Prefers mud and sand substrate; found in the littoral and sublittoral zone

Glycera alba prefers sediments with a median grain size of 50 to 250 µm but is also found in coarser sediments (up to 500 µm). The species furthermore tends to prefer sediments with a mud content of 10-20%. The high relative occurrence in sediments with a mud content of 40-50% is considered unreliable.