Eulagisca gigantea

Eulagisca gigantea, a giant polynoid worm also known as an Antarctic scale worm, is a species of marine polychaete worm belonging to the family Polynoidae, the scale worms. This species is found on the seabed in the Southern Ocean.[1]

Eulagisca gigantea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Order: Phyllodocida
Family: Polynoidae
Genus: Eulagisca
Species:
E. gigantea
Binomial name
Eulagisca gigantea
Monro, 1939[1]

Description

Eulagisca gigantea can grow to a length of 20 cm (8 in) and a width of 10 cm (4 in). It is dorso-ventrally flattened and has 40 segments. The prostomium is oval and the back part is concealed by a nuchal fold.[2] The eversible proboscis bears a pair of large jaws and is about a quarter of the length of the whole organism. The upper surface of the body is concealed by the large paired elytra and each segment bears a pair of paddle-like parapodia at the side which are used for swimming. E. gigantea is a greyish-brown colour.[3]

Biology

Polynoids are generally considered to be carnivores,[2] and judging by the size of the jaws, this one is a predator, but its diet is unknown, and very little is known about its biology.[3]

gollark: Perhaps we should make a dedicated APIONET channel.
gollark: https://turbo.fish/::%3Ci8%3E
gollark: This is quite well-documented.
gollark: https://osmarks.net/fractalart.html utterly. And no, I don't think this is supported without accursion like FUSE.
gollark: Too late, it was resolved.

References

  1. Fauchald, Kristian (2008). "Eulagisca gigantea Monro, 1939". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  2. Australian Biological Resources Study (2000). Polychaetes & Allies: The Southern Synthesis. Csiro Publishing. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-643-06571-0.
  3. Mah, Christopher (22 May 2012). "Eulagisca gigantea- GIANT polynoid worm!". 10 of the WEIRDEST Antarctic Invertebrates!. EchinoBlog. Retrieved 29 August 2017.

Further reading

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