Polychaete Worm
Longibrachium arariensis
A polychaete worm of the Onuphid family. Onuphid polychaetes are tubicolous marine worms commonly reported worldwide from intertidal areas to hadal depths.
Antennae of about equal length, comparatively short, reaching to chaetigers 6 to 8. Anterior four
pairs of parapodia prolonged, with three distally recurved long hooks and 6–10 small hooks in each; hooks of
both sizes with two rows of immovable spines; chaetal sacs extending to chaetigers 12–23; subacicular hooks
from chaetiger 30–35.
The tube does not extend from the sandy substrate but all pairs of prolonged parapodia and rarely some antennae are seen to be protruding from the tube above the substrate.
This worm is 10cm or more in length, It is a large, powerful, jawed worm. It probably has chemosensors on its antennae and cirri to detect small invertebrate prey in the water current. As it moves its prolonged parapodia slowly up and
down vertically, it is probably searching for the smell of prey, which is grasped upon its appearance. This
onuphid is considered to be a carnivore, omnivore, and scavenger that feeds on carrion.
Antennae of about equal length, comparatively short, reaching to chaetigers 6 to 8. Anterior four
pairs of parapodia prolonged, with three distally recurved long hooks and 6–10 small hooks in each; hooks of
both sizes with two rows of immovable spines; chaetal sacs extending to chaetigers 12–23; subacicular hooks
from chaetiger 30–35.
The tube does not extend from the sandy substrate but all pairs of prolonged parapodia and rarely some antennae are seen to be protruding from the tube above the substrate.
This worm is 10cm or more in length, It is a large, powerful, jawed worm. It probably has chemosensors on its antennae and cirri to detect small invertebrate prey in the water current. As it moves its prolonged parapodia slowly up and
down vertically, it is probably searching for the smell of prey, which is grasped upon its appearance. This
onuphid is considered to be a carnivore, omnivore, and scavenger that feeds on carrion.
