Marine Species Identification Portal : Eteone barbata

(Malmgren, 1865)

Description:
Body slender, dorso-ventrally flattened, anteriorly and posteriorly tapered. Prostomium about as wide as long with two distinct, medium-sized eyes. Nuchal papilla small. Proboscis with lateral rows of large, pointed papillae (absent on the most proximal part); dorsally with small thorny spherical papillae in more or less distinct transverse rows; ventrally with minute filiform papillae. Terminal ring of rather large number of papillae and two laterally situated papillae on the inside of the ring. Dorsal tentacular cirri more than twice as long as the ventral ones. Segment 2 with chaetae and ventral cirri of similar size and shape as those of following segments. Dorsal cirri of median segments rounded, longer than broad in smaller specimens and broader than long in larger ones. Parapodial lobes rounded, with about 10-25 chaetae. Terminal end of chaetal shaft slightly asymmetrical with main tooth on one side slightly larger than on other side. Blades long and slender. Ventral cirri narrow, about as long as parapodial lobes. Pygidial cirri about twice as long as broad, with rounded ends (E. barbata-detail).

Size:
Preserved relaxed specimen 15 mm long for 90 segments.

Colour:
Living animals yellowish white with three distinct brown longitudinal bands on the dorsum. Eyes red brown. Pigmentation retained in preserved specimens.

Habitat:
Muddy sand and sand, 10-400 m depth.

Distribution:
Arctic, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat.

Eteone barbata