M. Sars, 1829
Description:
Body short and spindle-shaped, covered with epidermal papillae on a long, flexible stalk. Body encased in clear mucus, often stained with mud.
Prostomium and peristomium retractile, with two groups of 20-30 delicate cirriform gills, four eyes and two broad palps. First chaetiger with a cephalic cage consisting of 60-120 long chaetae.
Notopodia with fine capillary chaetae; surrounded by longer papillae. From chaetiger 25 neuropodia with 1-2 hooked compound chaetae with an annulated stalk and a short, curved, blunt-ended tip of darker colour; each is surrounded by a bundle of 5-6 short, straight capillary chaetae of which only the point protrudes from the skin (F. affinis-chaeta ).
Size:
Up to 60 mm for 50 segments.
Colour:
Greenish, with green gills and yellow to orange palps. Gut red.
Habitat:
At low water, under stones and amongst algae; young specimens often amongst the spines of echinoids.
Distribution:
North Sea to Öresund, world-wide.