Greeff, 1879
Description: Body relatively short and broad, up to 34 segments and a 'tail', which missing in young individuals. Without obvious segmentation other than elongated parapodia. Prostomium with 2 short, divergent antennae, two eyes with lenses and two ciliated nuchal organs. Length of cirriform appendages of the second segment at least half the body length. 14-21 parapodia and a 'tail' bearing 10-14 very reduced parapodia. Tail may be a third of the total body length. All parapodia with rosette organs in the tips of both branches; yellow in life, brownish in preserved specimens (T. helgolandica-detail). Parapodia without chaetae.
Size: Commonly 20-40 mm in length including the tail.
Colour: Body striated with dark brown lines in life, but transparent when fixed..
Habitat: Pelagic, usually near the coast.
Distribution: Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean, English Channel, North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Öresund to Bay of Kiel. |