Polygordius appendiculatus

Fraipont, 1887

Description:
Body long, smooth, cylindrical, without chaetae or parapodia.
Prostomium with 2 short thread-like, stiff, tentacles. Tentacles 240-410 µm long. Sometimes with 2 eyes (P. appendiculatus-head).
Bulb-like pygidium pre-terminally swollen and peripherally encircled by a ring of about 30 glandular mounds, each with 25-35 gland openings. Posterior to this swelling two thread-shaped lateral appendages (length up to more than 1 mm) pre-terminally inserted (P. appendiculatus-posterior).
Fertile region in females starting between segments 25 and 35, and between segments 25 and 40 in males.

Size:
Up to 45 mm for 125 segments.

Colour:
Tentacles light salmon-coloured; body more or less transparent. Surface smooth and iridescent.

Habitat:
Coarse subtidal sand and shell fragments.

Distribution:
Atlantic (Ireland), North Sea (Helgoland, Farne Islands off Northumberland), English Channel, Mediterranean.

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