Anobothrus gracilis
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Anobothrus gracilis can be up to 47 mm long. It can be found along the entire Norwegian coast and Svalbard at depths between 30 and 300 meters.
Type locality
Koster Islands, Bohuslän, Sweden, 230 m.
Key characters
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Anterior end, dorsolateral view
br: branchia
nt1: first notopodium
nt2: second notopodium
nt3: third notopodium
pa: paleae
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Anobothrus gracilis. 11th thoracic chaetiger. cb: ciliated dorsal ridge, nrp: neuropodium, ntp: notopodium.
Measurements: Up to 47 mm long.
Number of thoracic chaetigers, excluding paleae: 15
Number of thoracic uncinigers: 12
Number of abdominal uncinigers: 13
Prostomium: Trilobed, two groups of eyespots.
Mouth tentacles: Smooth.
Branchiae: Four pairs of branchiae in two groups without any median gap; three branchiae in each group in transverse row, fourth branchia behind the innermost of the three.
Paleae: Long with filiform tips, 12–14 chaetae on each side.
Special features: First pair of notopodia very small and easy to overlook; Notopodia of 11th thoracic chaetigers slightly elevated and joined by ciliated ridge across dorsum.
Pygidium: Without cirri.
Tube: Thin layer of secretion incrusted with mud.
Distribution
Entire Norwegian coast and Svalbard; 30–300 m.
Remarks
Holthe (1986a) reports A. gracilis down to 3000 m. This depth is questionable, at least in Norwegian waters.
Similar species
Anobothrus gracilis is often misidentified as Ampharete finmarchica due to very small first pair of notopodia. The worm appears to have 14 instead of 15 thoracic notopodia. Both species have 13 abdominal uncinigers. Ampharete finmarchica has paleae with curved tips while A. gracilis has paleae with filiform tips.
Sources
Holthe T (1986a). Polychaeta Terebellomorpha. Marine Invertebrates of Scandinavia 7: 1-192.
Malmgren AJ (1866). Nordiska Hafs-Annulater. [part three of three]. Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar, Stockholm 22(5): 355-410, plates XVIII-XXIX. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32339631
Personal observations, Alvestad T.
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Abdominal neuropodium with uncini.
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Anobothrus gracilis. Posterior end. nrp: neuropodium, p: pygidial papillae.
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Ampharete gracilis. Thoracic neuropodium with uncini.
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Anterior end, ventral view
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Anterior end, dorsal view
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Anobothrus gracilis. Anterior end. br: branchiae, pa: paleae.
Siden siteres som:
Alvestad T og Budaeva N (2020). Anobothrus gracilis (Malmgren, 1866). www.artsdatabanken.no/Pages/299309. Nedlastet <dag/måned/år>