The bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata, is a common species in the marine annelid taxon Amphinomidae. It has a widespread distribution throughout the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Red Seas. We review its environmental tolerances, defence mechanisms and feeding habits to evaluate its potential to survive in changing ocean conditions, to increasingly emerge as a nuisance species and to invade new geographic areas. Hermodice carunculata tolerates a wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature, salinity, oxygen saturation and various types of pollution. It has few natural predators because it is protected by its sharp chaetae and probably by toxins. Hermodice carunculata is best known for consuming live cnidarians, and has been implicated in transmitting coral pathogens, but it also feeds non-selectively on detritus. In the short term, we predict that H. carunculata will be able to withstand many future ecological challenges and possibly contribute to coral reef decline. In the long term, ocean acidification may negatively impact its defence mechanisms and survival. Its invasive potential may be significant. We highlight the gaps in our knowledge about the reproduction and development of this species, the nature and origin of its toxins and role of microbes in their feeding behaviour and defensive strategies.

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Summary Aim To acquire general quantitative data on the molluscan faunas of floodplain pastures, assessing the influence of (minor) topographic variation on molluscan distribution. Additionally, to examine the potential for analogous comparison with fossil data Location The study was located within a relic watermeadow system currently used as floodplain pasture near Wylye, Wiltshire, U.K. Methods Mollusca were extracted from forty turf samples collected from relic carriers (cf. ridges) and relic drains (cf. furrows). Molluscan faunal differences between carriers and drains were assessed using TWINSPAN and diversity indices. Results The dry relic carriers, characterized by a short grassy sward, showed a low‐diversity Trichia‐Vallonia‐Cochlicopa‐Nesovitrea fauna. The damper relic drains, characterized by longer vegetation comprising both rushes and grasses, additionally contained other molluscan species indicative of wetter and/or more sheltered conditions and had significantly more diverse faunas Main conclusions Intra‐site variability of molluscan faunas can be demonstrated with relatively minor changes in topography, hydrology and/or vegetation structure. In addition, the study clearly aids in the analogous interpretation of Holocene subfossil assemblages from the same region.