Eulalia clavigera | |
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Species: | E. clavigera |
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Eulalia clavigera | |
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Eulalia clavigera is a species of polychaete worm in the family Phyllodocidae, native to the coasts around Britain, through Western France, and to the Iberian Peninsula. It closely resembles Eulalia viridis , and there has been confusion in the past as to the identification of the two species.
E. clavigera is a slender worm growing to a length of about 10 cm (4 in). The prostomium (head) has a rounded triangular shape and is rather wider than it is long. It has a pair of palps and three antennae, the central one being located in front of the large eyes. The eversible proboscis is scattered with small conical papillae. There are four pairs of tentacular cirri on body segments one to four. The parapodia of the body segments bear large, paddle-shaped dorsal cirri, about twice as long as they are broad, while the ventral cirri are oval. This worm is bright green, sometimes with black spots on the underside of the base of the parapodia. E. clavigera is very similar in appearance to its close relative Eulalia viridis . [2] [3] The chief differences between the two lie in the shape and size of the dorsal cirri.
Before the 1990s, E. viridis was thought to have a wide range in the northeastern Atlantic including the waters around the United Kingdom, but morphological and biochemical studies led to the southern populations being recognised as a separate species E. clavigera, part of a species complex with E. viridis. [2] This means that the distribution of E. clavigera is not well understood, with references in the literature referring to E viridis possibly being misapplied; however, E. clavigera is present around the coasts of Britain and southwards to France and the Iberian Peninsula, and possibly into the Mediterranean Sea. Its depth range is from the middle shore to the sublittoral zone. It typically lives in crevices, under stones, among the holdfasts of large seaweeds and among mussels and barnacles. [2]
E. clavigera is predominantly a scavenger and feeds on dead or damaged invertebrates such as barnacles and mussels. [4] Sexually mature individuals have been observed during July and August, while sexually mature E. viridis are generally seen between February and May. [5]
In invertebrates, the term parapodium refers to lateral outgrowths or protrusions from the body. Parapodia are predominantly found in annelids, where they are paired, un-jointed lateral outgrowths that bear the chaetae. In several groups of sea snails and sea slugs, 'parapodium' refers to lateral fleshy protrusions.
Haplodrili, or Archiannelida, is an order of primitive polychaete worms. Zoologist Ray Lankester gave it the name haplodrili, while zoologist Berthold Hatschek later named it Archiannelida. Once considered to be a class under Annelida, and even a separate phylum, Haplodrili is now widely accepted to be an order under Polychaeta. Species in this order are known for completely lacking external segments.
Eunicida is an order of polychaete worms.
Phyllodocida is an order of polychaete worms in the subclass Aciculata. These worms are mostly marine though some are found in brackish water. Most are active benthic creatures, moving over the surface or burrowing in sediments, or living in cracks and crevices in bedrock. A few construct tubes in which they live and some are pelagic, swimming through the water column. There are estimated to be about 3,500 species in the order.
Haplosyllis spongicola, the sponge worm, is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. It was previously classified as Syllis spongicola and is part of a species complex of closely related species that are difficult to distinguish morphologically and where the demarcation between them is unclear. It is found in shallow temperate, subtropical and tropical seas worldwide, wherever its host sponges are found.
Eulalia viridis is a species of bright-green polychaete worm in the family Phyllodocidae. It can range from 5 to 15 cm in length and is usually found in shallow north Atlantic water under rocks or in mussel beds.
Erinaceusyllis, previously known as Sphaerosyllis, is a genus belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. This genus consists of several species that were previously described as Sphaerosyllis and as Sphaerosyllis erinaceus sub-species, differing by the compound chaetae.
Sphaerosyllis levantina is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. It was first described from Haifa Bay in the eastern Mediterranean. It is similar to Sphaerosyllis hystrix, and is thought to show a cosmopolitan distribution. Its name derives from its type locality, levantina being the feminine form of a neo-Latin adjective meaning "pertaining to the region where the sun raises"; the adjective is feminine to agree with the feminine genus name, Syllis being a river nymph in Greek mythology.
Erinaceusyllis cirripapillata is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. E. cirripapillata is characterized by its papillae on its dorsal cirri, one of them being distinctively mushroom-shaped. No species of this genus or Sphaerosyllisis is known to possess this particular kind of papillae. The name of the species refers to these same papillae.
Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. This species is closely related to Sphaerosyllis bifurcata, Sphaerosyllis bifurcatoides and Sphaerosyllis rotundipapillata, all endemic species to Australia, characterized by having large dorsal papillae, sometimes trilobed, and with shafts of compound chaetae distally bifid. S. voluntariorum is more densely papillated on its anterior segments and has a long subdistal spine on the ventral simple chaetae. This species' name alludes to the volunteers of the Marine Invertebrate section of The Australian Museum, who sorted specimens of syllids that led to the description of this animal.
Sphaerosyllis goorabantennata is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Sphaerosyllis goorabantennata is distinct by its small size, small and unevenly distributed papillae, as well as by its particularly long antennae and tentacular cirri. Sphaerosyllis minima and S. minima magnapapillata are also small, but their antennae and tentacular cirri are significantly shorter, like its cogenerate species. The species' name is derived from the Aboriginal word gooraba, meaning "big", alluding to its long antennae.
Sphaerosyllis georgeharrisoni is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Sphaerosyllis georgeharrisoni is distinct by its large parapodial glands with hyaline material; by its small size; short proventricle; a median antenna that is inserted posteriorly to the lateral antennae; as well as long pygidial papillae. Juveniles of S. hirsuta are very similar to this species. Sphaerosyllis pygipapillata has all of its antennae aligned, a smooth dorsum, while its pygidial papillae are longer and slender. The species' name honours George Harrison, musician who died prior to the species' describing article's publication.
Phyllodoce mucosa is a species of polychaete worm in the family Phyllodocidae. It is found intertidally in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, typically on sandy or muddy seabeds.
Phyllodoce maculata is a species of Polychaete worm in the family Phyllodocidae. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean where it inhabits shallow water areas of sand, mud and stones.
Phyllodocidae is a family of polychaete worms. Worms in this family live on the seabed and may burrow under the sediment.
Scolelepis squamata is a species of polychaete worm in the family Spionidae. It occurs on the lower shore of coasts on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Polydora ciliata is a species of annelid worm in the family Spionidae, commonly known as a bristleworm. It is a burrowing worm and is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and some other parts of the world.
Syllis prolifera is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. It has a cosmopolitan distribution. It was first described in 1852 by the Russian/German zoologist August David Krohn who gave it the name Syllis prolifera.
Phyllodoce lineata is a species of polychaete worm in the family Phyllodocidae. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea where it occurs in the intertidal and shallow sub-tidal zones on soft sediment.