Disconatis accolus
Disconatis accolus is only known from New Zealand where it is commensal in the tubes of marine annelids of the family Arenicolidae.[2]
| Disconatis accolus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Class: | Polychaeta |
| Order: | Phyllodocida |
| Family: | Polynoidae |
| Genus: | Disconatis |
| Species: | D. accolus |
| Binomial name | |
| Disconatis accolus (Estcourt, 1967)[1] | |
Description
Disconatis accolus is known from a single specimen with 152 segments and 76 pairs of elytra; the first pair are much larger than the following. It has smooth elytra but with minute papillae on the dorsal surface of teh body, in contrast with the other species in the genus, Disconatis contubernalis which has large papillae on the elytra but a smooth body. The lateral antennae are inserted ventral to the median antenna. Notopodia are vestigial and notochaetae are absent. The neuropodia are rounded and the neurochaetae are uinidentate but have serrations on the convex side.[2]
Biology and ecology
Disconatis accolus has a commensal relationship with the annelid Abarenicola affinis, where D. accolus lives inside the tubes it creates.
References
- Read, G.; Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2020). World Polychaeta database. Disconatis accolus (Estcourt, 1967). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=414011
- Estcourt, I. N. 1967. Burrowing polychaete worms from a New Zealand estuary. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Ser. Zoology, 9(7): 65–78.