(Fabricius, 1780)
Description:
Body long and strong.
Prostomium rounded pentagonal, with two antennae and two similar palps.
First segment with dorsal tentacular cirri as long as the antennae and ventral cirri a little longer than the palps.
Parapodia: noto- and neuropodial postchaetal lamellae simple, much longer than the acicular lobes. Acicular lobes rounded simple or more or less bilobed, prechaetal lamellae rudimentary. Neuropodial postchaetal lamellae without vascular structures.
Chaetae in posterior parapods strongly toothed, some are curved, but none are sharply bent.
Gills start at segment 4 rarely from 5 to the posterior end; gills curved outwards (N. caeca-detail).
Pharynx with 22 longitudinal rows of 4 to 6 papillae.
Size:
Up to 250 mm long for 150 segments.
Colour:
White yellow-grey, slightly iridescent. Gills red.
Habitat:
All kinds of sediments, down to 1000 m deep. Also brackish waters.
Distribution:
Widely distributed in the area.