Gattyana cirrhosa explained

Gattyana cirrhosa is a scale worm known from widespread locations in the North Atlantic, Arctic, and northwestern Pacific oceans, from the intertidal zone to depths of at least .^{[1] [2]}

Description

Gattyana cirrhosa is a short-bodied worm with 38 segments and 15 pairs of elytra, which bear a marginal fringe of papillae and are a rich brassy-orange colour. The lateral antennae are positioned ventrally on the prostomium, directly beneath the median antenna. Notochaetae are about as thick as or thinner than the neurochaetae.^{[1] [3]}

Biology and ecology

Gattyana cirrhosa has a commensal relationship with chaetopterid, terebellid, and pectinariid polychaete worms, living within the tubes they construct. However, it is also a free-living taxon.

Notes and References

1. Pettibone, Marian H. (1963). Marine polychaete worms of the New England region. I. Aphroditidae through Trochochaetidae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 227(1): 1-356., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7870746
2. Jirkov, I.A. (2001). [Polychaeta of the Arctic Ocean] (In Russian) Polikhety severnogo Ledovitogo Okeana. Yanus-K Press, Moscow, 632 pp., available online at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259865957_Jirkov_2001_Polychaeta_of_the_North_Polar_Basin
3. Book: CSIRO Publishing. R.S. Wilson . P.A. Hutchings . C. J. Glasby . Fauchald. K.. Wilson. R.S.. Polychaetes: An Interactive Identification Guide. Polynoidae (Polychaeta)-A DELTA database of genera, and Australian species. Melbourne. 2003.