(Malmgren, 1865)
Description:
Body broad and flattened, anteriorly and posteriorly tapered.
Prostomium rounded to triangular. Nuchal papilla absent. Eyes rather large, partly covered by segment 1. Ligula on the collar around the prostomium is shallow, indistinct.
Proboscis covered with minute papillae, distally with lateral rows of large papillae. Occasionally 3-4 papillae proximally on each side of prostomium. Terminal ring with a large number of papillae and two large lateral papillae on inside of ring.
Tentacular cirri of segment 1 reaching about segment 4. Dorsal tentacular cirri of segments 2 and 3 reaching about segment 7-8. Ventral tentacular cirri reaching about segment 5. Chaetae present from segment 3. Dorsal cirri of median segments oval, wider than long. Parapodial lobes narrow with upper part slightly longer than lower and with a large number of chaetae. Terminal end of chaetal shaft asymmetrical with teeth on one side longer than on other. Blades long and slender. Ventral cirri long and slender with rounded ends, about as long as or slightly shorter than parapodial lobes.
Pygidial cirri small, flattened and rounded. Minute median pygidial papilla present.
Size:
Up to 17 mm long for 70 segments.
Colour:
Living animals whitish with a clear red colour on dorsum and on inner part of dorsal cirri from about segment 5-6. Eyes dark red. Preserved animals whitish, dorsum light red to brown with eyes brownish black. Larger specimens iridescent.
Habitat:
Muddy sediments from 10 to 1200 m.
Distribution:
Arctic, North Atlantic between Faeroes and Gibraltar up to Mediterranean, northern North Sea and Skagerrak.