Greeff, 1879
Description:
Body relatively short and broad, up to 34 segments and a 'tail', which missing in young individuals. Without obvious segmentation other than elongated parapodia.
Prostomium with 2 short, divergent antennae, two eyes with lenses and two ciliated nuchal organs. Length of cirriform appendages of the second segment at least half the body length.
14-21 parapodia and a 'tail' bearing 10-14 very reduced parapodia. Tail may be a third of the total body length. All parapodia with rosette organs in the tips of both branches; yellow in life, brownish in preserved specimens (T. helgolandica-detail).
Parapodia without chaetae.
Size:
Commonly 20-40 mm in length including the tail.
Colour:
Body striated with dark brown lines in life, but transparent when fixed..
Habitat:
Pelagic, usually near the coast.
Distribution:
Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean, English Channel, North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Öresund to Bay of Kiel.