Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue entitled “Diopatra: The Amazing Ecosystem Engineering Polychaetous Annelid”. Bristle-worms or polychaetes are marine annelids that occur from the littoral zone to the deepest trenches, inhabiting soft and rocky bottoms or leading a pelagic life. Among them, members of the family Onuphidae are among the most important polychaetes in soft sediment communities worldwide. The genus Diopatra, coveted as fishing bait for almost two centuries and renowned as an ecosystem engineer altering the structure and diversity of communities, has attracted attention in the last decade, not only for its surprising and unknown diversity, but also for other aspects, from being an indicator of climate change to a sentinel species of drugs in marine environments, as well as a study example of protandric hermaphroditism. This Special Issue represents a multidisciplinary forum to provide scientifically based insight as to the status of this important genus, its commercial use, genetics, diversity, ecology and distribution within a multidisciplinary and integrative perspective. We welcome research papers, communications, and review articles focusing on all scientific and applied aspects of Diopatra to improve our understanding of this amazing bristle worm.

Dr. Andrés Arias
Prof. Dr. Sarah A. Woodin
Dr. Hannelore Paxton
Guest Editors

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