Temperature |
- distribution shows tolerance of low and high temperatures; individuals found in water up to 32°C (Faasse & van Moorsel 2003) |
Salinity |
- mesohaline regions of estuaries, in salinities 3-20 PSU, occasionally to 30 PSU (Bousfield 1973) |
Substrate |
- muddy bottom areas, the species can burrow into soft sediment (Bousfield 1973; Borowsky et al. 1997);- at the base of clumps of hydroids and ectoprocts (Bousfield 1973);- in crevices created by oyster reefs (Watling & Maurer1972; Faasse & van Moorsel 2003; Heiman et al. 2008);- in pen shells Atrina rigida (Munguia et al. 2007);- on hard substrates, both natural and artificial, like boulders, rock fills, asphalt fragments in loose gravel (Chapman 1988; Faasse & van Moorsel 2003; Reichert & Beermann 2011) |
Nutrition |
- consumes epiphytes, seagrass debris and detritus; macrophagy and microphagy were both observed, with the latter occurring most often (Zimmerman et al. 1979);- consumes soft sediment (Borowsky et al. 1997) |
Reproduction |
- annual life cycle with several broods, ovigerous females occur in May-September, their size is 5.00-8.71 mm, the number of juveniles per female is 5-51 (Bousfield 1973; Borowsky 1980) |