WoRMS source details
Hanley, J. Russell. (1986). Co-operative effort in a new species of tube dwelling worm, Eunice metatropos (Polychaeta:Eunicidae). The Beagle, Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences. 3(1): 215-221.
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Hanley, J. Russell
1986
Co-operative effort in a new species of tube dwelling worm, Eunice metatropos (Polychaeta:Eunicidae)
The Beagle, Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences
3(1): 215-221
Publication
World Polychaeta Database (WPolyDb). Article access is sold by Informit
Eunice metatropos sp. nov., a species of eunicid polychaete from Western Australia, is described and illustrated. It is compared with other species of Eunice Cuvier which also inhabit tough pliable parchment-like tubes. Unlike other tube dwelling eunicids, all twelve specimens had acted in concert during the early stages of tube building, entwining the tubes together for about one third of their length. After this initial phase each tube separates and diverges from the others producing a remarkable tree-like structure.
Australia
Systematics, Taxonomy
Holotype NTM W3886, geounit Western Australia, identified as Eunice metatropos Hanley, 1986
Etymology
metatropos (derivation unstated) "reflects the apparent change in tropism ... during construction [of tubes]" [details]
Habitat
Tough parchment-like tubes are zig-zag distally, beginning as straight tubes collectively entwined basally for ... [details]
Type locality
northwest shelf off western Australia, 19° 12' S, 118° 32' E, 80 m, trawled [details]
Type material
frozen specimens later formalin fixed, and noted by Hanley (1986: 215) as in poor condition [details]
