(Johnston, 1840)
Description:
Body slender, of uniform width. Prostomium rounded, slightly longer than broad. Eyes medium-sized, often partly covered dorsally by segment 1. Median antenna situated well in front of eyes, shorter than paired antennae. Proboscis covered with diffusely distributed papillae. Segment 1 with tentacular cirri reaching about segment 2-3. Dorsal tentacular cirri of segment 2 reaching about segment 4-5. Ventral tentacular cirri flattened, shorter than segment width. Dorsal tentacular cirri of segment 3 longest, reaching about segment 5-6. Chaetae present from segment 2. Dorsal cirri of median segments ovoid and rather thick, longer than broad. Parapodial lobes rounded, with about 5-10 chaetae. Terminal end of chaetal shaft with a number of rather large teeth, decreasing in size proximally. Blades long and slender. Capillaries may occur on posterior segments. Ventral cirri rounded, thick, slightly longer than parapodial lobes. Pygidial cirri cylindrical, about 2-3 times as long as broad, with rounded ends. A small median pygidial papilla present (E. bilineata-detail).
Size:
Up to 100 mm for 250 segments.
Colour:
Living animals transparent. On each side of dorsum a longitudinal, dark greenish-brownish band. Eyes cherry red. Preserved animals vary in colour from yellowish to dark brown. Dorsal lines usually retained. Eyes brownish.
Habitat:
Sand, shell gravel, among crevices in stones and among kelp holdfasts. Intertidal and subtidal to at least 200 m.
Distribution:
World-wide.