01480nas a2200181   4500008004100000020001400041245003900055210003900094300001200133490000700145520099700152653001601149653001101165653001101176653001501187100002201202856007401224       1997                        eng d  a0007-497700aRole of polychaetes of coral reefs0 aRole of polychaetes of coral reefs  a615-6150 v603 aIn 1973, Grassle found that dead coral substrates on the Great Barrier Reef had diverse polychaete communities, and this has been shown to occur on other reefs. Since then equally diverse polychaete communities have been found in reefal sediments. This review synthesizes the information on coral reef polychaetes, including the role they play in bioerosion and in the food chain, recycling of sediments, bioturbation of sediments, their use as pollution indicators, the mass spawning phenomenon of many species and recruitment patterns. Although the diversity of coral reef polychaetes have been documented, their taxonomy is poorly known and many so called "cosmopolitan" species have been recorded, which probably represent misidentifications. Future studies are suggested including additional taxonomic studies to develop a better understanding of the role of polychaetes on coral reefs, a habitat which world-wide is being subjected to degradation and which requires improved management.10acoral reefs10aMarine10aniches10aPolychaeta1 aHutchings, P., A.  uhttps://reefichno.myspecies.info/content/role-polychaetes-coral-reefs