Polydora limicola

Annenkova, 1934

Description:
Body small and slender.
Prostomium anteriorly more or less incised, with or without eyes, without antenna, posteriorly with a caruncle reaching segment 2-4. Two long palps present.
First notopodium without chaetae.
Fifth chaetiger with winged capillary chaetae and 8-15 modified chaetae in a row. Modified chaetae thick, with a subdistal tooth. 7th and following neuropodia with hooded hooks. Notopodia without modified chaetae.
Gills probably start at chaetiger 7.
Pygidium unknown.

Size:
Up to 25 mm for 90 segments.

Colour:
With black pigment on anterior and lateral margins of the prostomium and on segments 2-4. Palps with 4-5 transeverse bands.

Habitat:
Near low water line. Common in brackish waters, tolerates also polluted waters. Probably not excavating, but forming masses of tightly clinging muddy tubes. These can often be found attached to ships.

Distribution:
Arctic, North Pacific, Black Sea, Kiel Channel and the Netherlands (former Zuiderzee).

Remark:
The taxonomical status of this species is uncertain. It may be more than one species or only a form of Polydora ciliata.

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