Protomystides exigua

(Eliason, 1962)

Description:
Body thin, anteriorly and posteriorly tapered.
Prostomium rounded, about as long as wide. Anterior part of the prostomium restricted from the rest of the head and bears 4 small tentacles. Eyes, nuchal organs and a median tentacle absent.
Four pairs of tentacular cirri. Dorsal tentacular cirri of segment 2 and 3 long, reaching about segment 8. Dorsal cirri of the segments in mid-body oval and thick. Ventral cirri of similar shape but smaller.
Compound neuropodial chaetae, with very long blades, start at segment 2. Notopodial chaetae simple.
Pygidial cirri of similar shape (P. exigua-detail).
Proboscis unknown.

Size:
16 mm for 89 segments.

Colour:
Preserved specimens white to yellow with brown pigment on prostomium, forming segmented bands across dorsum and on dorsal and ventral cirri and dark spots near parapodial bases on posterior part of body.

Habitat:
Muddy sediments, 75-460 m.

Distribution:
Skagerrak, Norwegian Trough.

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