Kingdom Animalia Family Flabelligeridae Phylum Annelida Order Terebellida | Suborder Cirratuliformia Genus Diplocirrus Rank Species | |
Similar Terebellida, Flabelligeridae, Chaetozone setosa, Chaetozone, Ampharete | ||
Diplocirrus glaucus is a species of marine polychaete found in ocean bottoms often consisting of mud, sand, shells or gravel. It eats detritus and microorganisms. It is found in the Arctic, Mediterranean, and the eastern North Atlantic oceans to a depth of 750 meters.
Contents
Morphology
It has a spindle-shaped front body, changing to a more cylindrical form at the back end. The prostomium has four eyes and two long palps. The peristomium has four short, finger-shaped and four longer, threadlike gels. All gels are often retracted into the body. Body colour varies from pearl-grey to silver-white with a length up to 25 mm.
Ecology
It lives on the ocean floor where it digs tunnels that are supported by slime secreted from the worm. Here it feeds on detritus and microorganisms. Formations are thought to happen in the summer, but the larval cycle is not fully understood.