Tubulanus annulatus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tubulanus annulatus | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
| Head | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nemertea |
| Class: | Palaeonemertea |
| Order: | Tubulaniformes |
| Family: | Tubulanidae |
| Genus: | Tubulanus |
| Species: | T. annulatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tubulanus annulatus (Montagu, 1804)[1] | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Tubulanus annulatus, commonly known as the football jersey worm,[1][2] is a species of ribbon worm in the phylum Nemertea. It ranges across the northern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, being present from the lower shore down to about 40 m (130 ft), on sand, gravel and other habitats.[3]
This species was first described in 1804 by the zoologist and ornithologist George Montagu as Gordius annulatus but was later transferred to the newly created genus Tubulanus.[1]
Description
Tubulanus annulatus is an elongated, slender worm that can reach 75 cm (30 in) in length but does not usually exceed 4 mm (0.16 in) in width except when fully contracted. The dorsal surface is a bright red, orange-red or brownish-red in colour, with three longitudinal white lines and up to fifty white transverse rings, while the underside is paler. The dorsal white line runs from the white snout region while the two lateral white lines start at the first transverse ring.[3] There is no ventral white line as is the case in the otherwise similar Tubulanus superbus.[4] The first transverse rings are far apart from each other while the remaining rings are closer together and approximately equidistant. This species does not have lateral sensory glands on its flanks, but there are cephalic glands (mucus-producing glands) on the head. It often secretes a silken mucous tube to which sand grains and other particles stick.[3] It is possible that the distinctive colouring of this species is aposometic, warning fish or other predators that the worm is unpalatable.[5]