By regular, quantitative sampling during two years 13,050 specimens of Amphiura fuliformis were collected at a locality in the Øresund (27 m depth, muddy sand). The material included all stages from newly settled to adults. Three settling periods were registered with maximum numbers of newly settled from 6,200 to 6,800/m-2. The mean disc diameter at settling was 0.3 mm, after 1 year 0.6 mm and after 2 years 1.6 mm. The adults had disc diameters of 4.9 mm. Consequently, the juvenile life lasted at least 3 years. The density of adults has been stable for at least 20 years and was during the study period 575 multiplied by m-2 (mean), max. 1050 multiplied by m-2). |
