Oersted, 1843
Description:
Body anteriorly cylindrical, posteriorly more flattened.
Prostomium conical, composed of ten rings, with palps and antennae forming a cross at the tip. Two small eyes on the basal ring.
Anterior 27-42 parapodia uniramous with one finger-like prechaetal lamella until segment 18-30, following uniramous segments with two prechaetal lamellae. Dorsal and ventral cirri finger-like. Posterior parapodia biramous with a small, triangular or elongate notopodium, one notopodial and two neuropodial postchaetal lamellae.
Notopodial chaetae numerous, finely denticulate capillaries. Neuropodial chaetae compound with long, denticulate blades. Papillae on pharynx are flat, heart-shaped and of equal size.
Macrognaths with 5-8 teeth. Upper half of proboscis with 4 small Y-shaped micrognaths, lower half with three somewhat bigger, X-shaped ones. 7-11 chevrons on each side (G. maculata-detail).
Size:
Up to 100 mm long for 200 segments.
Colour:
Living animal bright green to lemon yellow, often with brown spots or bands. In alcohol brownish yellow, parapodia lighter with brown spots.
Habitat:
On all substrata, also in brackish water.
Distribution:
Whole North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Öresund, English Channel, Arctic, North Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean.