A polychaete worm (Protodorvillea kefersteini)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

The body is slender, reaching up to 1.5 cm in length, with a dorsal surface often bright red or orange. It features a broad, bluntly conical prostomium with a pair of eyes. The short antennae are faintly ringed, while the palps are long with a short terminal section. The mandibles are short and X-shaped with finely toothed front edges. The maxillary carriers are fused at the back, forming a V-shape. The maxillae have two upper rows and two lower rows of fine teeth. The first body segment and the segment without parapodia are slightly longer than the subsequent segments with bristles. The ventral cirri are ovoid-shaped. The supra-acicular chaetae come in two types: (1) sturdy, forked bristles with smooth, equally long branches; and (2) one to two fine, toothed, hair-like bristles. The sub-acicular chaetae are compound, featuring split, finely toothed, stout hooked blades. It has both a short and a long pair of annulated pygidial cirri.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Widespread across Britain and Ireland.

Global distribution

Recorded off the coast of northern France, in the North Sea, the Skagerrak, Kattegat Sea, and in northern Norway. Scattered records in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean, north of Svalbard. Recorded in southern Europe and Northern Africa in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal, the Aegean Sea, and the Black Sea. Widespread on the east coast of the USA, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Sparse records off the coast of Brazil, South America.

Habitat

Occurs in the lower intertidal and shallow subtidal zones. Found mostly in coarse gravel or shelly sand, or on sandy substrata. Less commonly on mud. Can be found under stones, among sea grasses and algae.

Depth range

0-2000 m

Identifying features

  • Slender, small body, up to 1.5 cm in length
  • Dorsal surface is bright red to orange in colour
  • Two types of chaetae
  • Short antennae

Additional information

-none-

Listed by

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Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. De Kluijver, M.J., van Nieuwenhuijzen, A., Ingalsuo, S. & Veldhuijzen-Van Zanten, H., 2022. Macrobenthos of the North Sea - Polychaeta. Marine Species Identification Portal. ETI Bioinformatics. [cited 2022-06-09] Available from: http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=macrobenthos_polychaeta&menuentry=inleiding

  2. Fauchald, K., 1977. The polychaete worms. Definitions and keys to the orders, families and genera. USA: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

  3. Stachowitsch, M., 1992. The invertebrates: an illustrated glossary. USA: Wiley-Liss.

Datasets

  1. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  2. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-05-31

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Maleed, M., 2025. Protodorvillea kefersteini A polychaete worm. In Tyler-Walters H. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 31-05-2025]. Available from: https://marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2372

Last Updated: 22/05/2025