Eudistylia
Encyclopedia
Eudistylia is a genus
of marine polychaete
worms. The type species
is Eudistylia gigantea, now accepted as Eudistylia vancouveri. These worms live in parchment-like tubes with a single opening from which a crown of tentacle
s projects when the worms are submerged. They are filter feeder
s.
and peristomium which are fused. It bears two bundles of radiole
s or feeding tentacles which together form the funnel-shaped branchial crown. Each radiole is pinnately divided and covered in cilia. It has a central stiffening rod of connective tissue
, a number of eyespots and a feeding groove. There are a pair of small palps beside the radioles and a large funnel-shaped mouth. There are about eight thoracic segments and the first has a flange-like collar which secures the worm to the mouth of its tube. The thoracic segments bear two rows of setae or bristles, the notochaetae on the dorsal side are grouped in tufts while the neurochaetae on the ventral side form a row of small hooks. The abdomen is long and has many segments. The position of the setae on the abdominal segments is reversed with the notochaetae being hooked and the neurochaetae being tufted. The pygidium at the posterior tip bears the large anus. There is a furrow on the dorsal side of the thoracic and abdominal segments called the faecal groove through which faecal material and gametes are transported to the open end of the tube.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of marine polychaete
Polychaete
The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. Indeed, polychaetes are sometimes referred to as bristle worms. More than 10,000...
worms. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Eudistylia gigantea, now accepted as Eudistylia vancouveri. These worms live in parchment-like tubes with a single opening from which a crown of tentacle
Tentacle
A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like...
s projects when the worms are submerged. They are filter feeder
Filter feeder
Filter feeders are animals that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water, typically by passing the water over a specialized filtering structure. Some animals that use this method of feeding are clams, krill, sponges, baleen whales, and many fish and some sharks. Some birds,...
s.
Characteristics
The head is formed from the prostomiumProstomium
Prostomium is the first body segment in annelid worms. It is in front of the mouth, being usually a small shelf- or lip-like extension over the dorsal side of the mouth. It sometimes bears antennae and eyes. It often functions like a kind of overlip when the animal is feeding...
and peristomium which are fused. It bears two bundles of radiole
Radiole
A radiole is a heavily ciliated feather-like tentacle found in highly organized clusters on the crowns of Canalipalpata. Canalipalpata is an order of sessile marine polychaete worms consisting of 31 families...
s or feeding tentacles which together form the funnel-shaped branchial crown. Each radiole is pinnately divided and covered in cilia. It has a central stiffening rod of connective tissue
Connective tissue
"Connective tissue" is a fibrous tissue. It is one of the four traditional classes of tissues . Connective Tissue is found throughout the body.In fact the whole framework of the skeleton and the different specialized connective tissues from the crown of the head to the toes determine the form of...
, a number of eyespots and a feeding groove. There are a pair of small palps beside the radioles and a large funnel-shaped mouth. There are about eight thoracic segments and the first has a flange-like collar which secures the worm to the mouth of its tube. The thoracic segments bear two rows of setae or bristles, the notochaetae on the dorsal side are grouped in tufts while the neurochaetae on the ventral side form a row of small hooks. The abdomen is long and has many segments. The position of the setae on the abdominal segments is reversed with the notochaetae being hooked and the neurochaetae being tufted. The pygidium at the posterior tip bears the large anus. There is a furrow on the dorsal side of the thoracic and abdominal segments called the faecal groove through which faecal material and gametes are transported to the open end of the tube.
Distribution
Members of this genus are found on the Pacific coasts of Canada, United States and Mexico.Species
- Eudistylia brevicomata (Ehlers, 1905)
- Eudistylia catharinae Banse, 1979
- Eudistylia ceratodaula (Schmarda, 1861)
- Eudistylia polymorphaEudistylia polymorphaEudistylia polymorpha, the giant feather duster worm, is a species of marine polychaete worm belonging to the family Sabellidae. It receives its common name from the crown of tentacles that are extended when the animal is underwater.-Description:...
(Johnson, 1901) - Eudistylia tenella Bush, 1904
- Eudistylia vancouveri (Kinberg, 1866)