Deep-Sea taxon details
Sthenelais boa (Johnston, 1833)
131074 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:131074)
accepted
Species
Fimbriosthenelais minor (Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym (superseded combination of...)
superseded combination of subjective synonym
Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym (subjective synonym)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
recent only
(of ) Johnston, G. (1833). Illustrations in British zoology. <em>Magazine of natural history and journal of zoology, botany, mineralogy, geology and meteorology.</em> 6: 320-324, 497-499., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2357784
page(s): 322; note: Berwick Bay, England [details]
page(s): 322; note: Berwick Bay, England [details]
Description The dorsal side is covered with overlapping scales (elytra). The shape of the elytra varies from round, reniform to...
Distribution Sthenelais boa has a limited distribution on the Belgian part of the North Sea: in both periods the species was only...
Distribution southern Gaspe waters (Baie des Chaleurs, Gaspe Bay to American, Orphan and Bradelle banks; eastern boundary: Eastern...
Description The dorsal side is covered with overlapping scales (elytra). The shape of the elytra varies from round, reniform to cordiform depending on the body part. They are usually covered with papillae. The body is long (up to 200 mm) and has numerous segments; dorsal side is convex, ventral side is flattened. The dorsal side has a light grey, yellowish or brownish colour with red to black transverse bands. [details]
Distribution Sthenelais boa has a limited distribution on the Belgian part of the North Sea: in both periods the species was only...
Distribution Sthenelais boa has a limited distribution on the Belgian part of the North Sea: in both periods the species was only observed in the near-coastal zone, with the exception of the eastern coastal zone. Whereas S. boa was only found in low densities in the 1976-1986 period (maximum 12 ind./m2) densities up to 250 ind./m2 were recorded in the 1994-2001 period. [details]
Distribution southern Gaspe waters (Baie des Chaleurs, Gaspe Bay to American, Orphan and Bradelle banks; eastern boundary: Eastern...
Distribution southern Gaspe waters (Baie des Chaleurs, Gaspe Bay to American, Orphan and Bradelle banks; eastern boundary: Eastern Bradelle Valley); Magdalen Islands (from Eastern Bradelle valley to the west, as far as Cape North, including the Cape Breton Channel) [details]
Read, G.; Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2026). World Polychaeta Database. Sthenelais boa (Johnston, 1833). Accessed through: Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2026) World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS) at: https://marinespecies.org/DeepSea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=131074 on 2026-10-18
Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2026). World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS). Sthenelais boa (Johnston, 1833). Accessed at: https://marinespecies.org/deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=131074 on 2026-10-18
Date
action
by
original description
(of ) Johnston, G. (1833). Illustrations in British zoology. <em>Magazine of natural history and journal of zoology, botany, mineralogy, geology and meteorology.</em> 6: 320-324, 497-499., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2357784
page(s): 322; note: Berwick Bay, England [details]
original description (of Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895) Pruvot, G.; Racovitza, E.-G. (1895). Matériaux pour la faune des annélides de Banyuls. <em>Archives de Zoologie expérimentale et générale, Sér. 3.</em> 3: 339-492, plates XV-XX., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5667932
page(s): 465-472, plate XX figs. 111-121 [details]
context source (BeRMS 2020) Bio-environmental research group; Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries research (ILVO), Belgium; (2015): Macrobenthos monitoring in function of the Water Framework Directive in the period 2007-2009. [details]
context source (Schelde) Maris, T., O. Beauchard, S. Van Damme, E. Van den Bergh, S. Wijnhoven & P. Meire. (2013). Referentiematrices en Ecotoopoppervlaktes Annex bij de Evaluatiemethodiek Schelde-estuarium Studie naar “Ecotoopoppervlaktes en intactness index”. [Reference matrices and Ecotope areas Annex to the Evaluation methodology Scheldt estuary Study on “Ecotope areas and intactness index”. <em>Monitor Taskforce Publication Series, 2013-01. NIOZ: Yerseke.</em> 35 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
context source (HKRMS) Thompson, G.B. & Shin, P.K.S. (1983) Sewage pollution and the infaunal benthos of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. [details]
basis of record Bellan, G. (2001). Polychaeta, <i>in</i>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. <em>Collection Patrimoines Naturels.</em> 50: 214-231. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Brunel, P., L. Bosse & G. Lamarche. (1998). Catalogue of the marine invertebrates of the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. <em>Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 126.</em> 405 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Fauchald, K.; Granados-Barba, A.; Solís-Weiss, V. (2009). Polychaeta (Annelida) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 751–788 in D.L. Felder and D.K. Camp (eds.). <em>Gulf of Mexico. Origin, Waters, and Biota. Volume 1, Biodiversity.</em> Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas., available online at https://books.google.es/books?id=CphA8hiwaFIC&lpg=PR1&pg=PA751 [details]
additional source Fauvel, P. (1923). Polychètes errantes. Faune de France. <em>Librairie de la Faculte des Sciences. Paris.</em> 5: 1-488., available online at http://www.faunedefrance.org/ [details]
additional source Hartman, Olga. (1959). Catalogue of the Polychaetous Annelids of the World. Parts 1 and 2. <em>Allan Hancock Foundation Occasional Paper.</em> 23: 1-628. [details] Available for editors
additional source Hartmann-Schröder, Gesa. (1996). Annelida, Borstenwürmer, Polychaeta [Annelida, bristleworms, Polychaeta] 2nd revised ed. <em>Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und nach ihrer Lebensweise [The fauna of Germany and adjacent seas with their characteristics and ecology].</em> 58. 648 pp. Gustav Fischer: Jena, Germany. ISBN 3-437-35038-2. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
additional source Izuka, Akira. (1912). The errantiate Polychaeta of Japan. <em>Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo.</em> 30(2): 1-262, plates I-XXIV., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39205921
page(s): 91-93, plate X figs. 9-16 [details]
additional source MacNae, W., Kalk, M. (eds). (1958). A natural history of Inhaca Island, Mozambique. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg. I-iv, 163 pp. [details]
additional source McIntosh, W.C. 1900. A monograph of British Annelids. vol.1. pt.2. Polychaeta Amphinomidae to Sigalionidae. Ray Society of London, 1(l2): 215-442., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38577949
page(s): 408 [details]
additional source McIntosh, William Carmichael [as M'Intosh]. (1876). On British Annelida. Part I. Euphrosynidae, Amphinomidae, Aphroditidae, Polynoidae, Acoetidae, and Sigalionidae. <em>Transactions of the Zoological Society of London.</em> 9(7): 371-394, plates LXVII-LXX., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28910942
page(s): 390 [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Nolte, W. (1936). Annelidenlarven. <em>Nordisches Plankton.</em> 5(23):59-169.
page(s): 149-151, figs. 89-90 [details]
redescription Barnich, Ruth; Van Haaren, Ton. (2021). Revision of <i>Sthenelais</i> Kinberg, 1856, <i>Fimbriosthenelais</i> Pettibone, 1971 and <i>Eusthenelais</i> McIntosh, 1876 (Polychaeta, Sigalionidae) in the Northeast Atlantic. <em>European Journal of Taxonomy.</em> 740: 138-171., available online at https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.740.1287
page(s): 149-154, figs. 3, 4A-I, 5A-D; note: redescription of syntypes and additional material [details] Available for editors
redescription 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 [details] Available for editors
new combination reference McIntosh, W. C. (1874). On the invertebrate marine fauna and fishes of St. Andrews [part of several parts, 2nd part of Class Annelida. Includes all of Polychaeta. <em>Annals and Magazine of Natural History.</em> 14: 192-207 (4th series) issue 80 part 28., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19210023
page(s): 195; note: from Sigalion [details]
status source Malmgren, Anders Johan. (1865). Nordiska Hafs-Annulater. [part one of three]. <em>Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar, Stockholm.</em> 22(1): 51-110, plates VIII-XV., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32339323
page(s): 86-87; note: points a possible synonymy between Sigalion idunae and Sigalion boa, with the latter having priority, but due to its incomplete original description and figures, feels necessary to keep ...
[details]
page(s): 322; note: Berwick Bay, England [details]
original description (of Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895) Pruvot, G.; Racovitza, E.-G. (1895). Matériaux pour la faune des annélides de Banyuls. <em>Archives de Zoologie expérimentale et générale, Sér. 3.</em> 3: 339-492, plates XV-XX., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5667932
page(s): 465-472, plate XX figs. 111-121 [details]
context source (BeRMS 2020) Bio-environmental research group; Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries research (ILVO), Belgium; (2015): Macrobenthos monitoring in function of the Water Framework Directive in the period 2007-2009. [details]
context source (Schelde) Maris, T., O. Beauchard, S. Van Damme, E. Van den Bergh, S. Wijnhoven & P. Meire. (2013). Referentiematrices en Ecotoopoppervlaktes Annex bij de Evaluatiemethodiek Schelde-estuarium Studie naar “Ecotoopoppervlaktes en intactness index”. [Reference matrices and Ecotope areas Annex to the Evaluation methodology Scheldt estuary Study on “Ecotope areas and intactness index”. <em>Monitor Taskforce Publication Series, 2013-01. NIOZ: Yerseke.</em> 35 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
context source (HKRMS) Thompson, G.B. & Shin, P.K.S. (1983) Sewage pollution and the infaunal benthos of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. [details]
basis of record Bellan, G. (2001). Polychaeta, <i>in</i>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. <em>Collection Patrimoines Naturels.</em> 50: 214-231. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Brunel, P., L. Bosse & G. Lamarche. (1998). Catalogue of the marine invertebrates of the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. <em>Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 126.</em> 405 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Fauchald, K.; Granados-Barba, A.; Solís-Weiss, V. (2009). Polychaeta (Annelida) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 751–788 in D.L. Felder and D.K. Camp (eds.). <em>Gulf of Mexico. Origin, Waters, and Biota. Volume 1, Biodiversity.</em> Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas., available online at https://books.google.es/books?id=CphA8hiwaFIC&lpg=PR1&pg=PA751 [details]
additional source Fauvel, P. (1923). Polychètes errantes. Faune de France. <em>Librairie de la Faculte des Sciences. Paris.</em> 5: 1-488., available online at http://www.faunedefrance.org/ [details]
additional source Hartman, Olga. (1959). Catalogue of the Polychaetous Annelids of the World. Parts 1 and 2. <em>Allan Hancock Foundation Occasional Paper.</em> 23: 1-628. [details] Available for editors
additional source Hartmann-Schröder, Gesa. (1996). Annelida, Borstenwürmer, Polychaeta [Annelida, bristleworms, Polychaeta] 2nd revised ed. <em>Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und nach ihrer Lebensweise [The fauna of Germany and adjacent seas with their characteristics and ecology].</em> 58. 648 pp. Gustav Fischer: Jena, Germany. ISBN 3-437-35038-2. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
additional source Izuka, Akira. (1912). The errantiate Polychaeta of Japan. <em>Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo.</em> 30(2): 1-262, plates I-XXIV., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39205921
page(s): 91-93, plate X figs. 9-16 [details]
additional source MacNae, W., Kalk, M. (eds). (1958). A natural history of Inhaca Island, Mozambique. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg. I-iv, 163 pp. [details]
additional source McIntosh, W.C. 1900. A monograph of British Annelids. vol.1. pt.2. Polychaeta Amphinomidae to Sigalionidae. Ray Society of London, 1(l2): 215-442., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38577949
page(s): 408 [details]
additional source McIntosh, William Carmichael [as M'Intosh]. (1876). On British Annelida. Part I. Euphrosynidae, Amphinomidae, Aphroditidae, Polynoidae, Acoetidae, and Sigalionidae. <em>Transactions of the Zoological Society of London.</em> 9(7): 371-394, plates LXVII-LXX., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28910942
page(s): 390 [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Nolte, W. (1936). Annelidenlarven. <em>Nordisches Plankton.</em> 5(23):59-169.
page(s): 149-151, figs. 89-90 [details]
redescription Barnich, Ruth; Van Haaren, Ton. (2021). Revision of <i>Sthenelais</i> Kinberg, 1856, <i>Fimbriosthenelais</i> Pettibone, 1971 and <i>Eusthenelais</i> McIntosh, 1876 (Polychaeta, Sigalionidae) in the Northeast Atlantic. <em>European Journal of Taxonomy.</em> 740: 138-171., available online at https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.740.1287
page(s): 149-154, figs. 3, 4A-I, 5A-D; note: redescription of syntypes and additional material [details] Available for editors
redescription 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 [details] Available for editors
new combination reference McIntosh, W. C. (1874). On the invertebrate marine fauna and fishes of St. Andrews [part of several parts, 2nd part of Class Annelida. Includes all of Polychaeta. <em>Annals and Magazine of Natural History.</em> 14: 192-207 (4th series) issue 80 part 28., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19210023
page(s): 195; note: from Sigalion [details]
status source Malmgren, Anders Johan. (1865). Nordiska Hafs-Annulater. [part one of three]. <em>Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar, Stockholm.</em> 22(1): 51-110, plates VIII-XV., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32339323
page(s): 86-87; note: points a possible synonymy between Sigalion idunae and Sigalion boa, with the latter having priority, but due to its incomplete original description and figures, feels necessary to keep ...
points a possible synonymy between Sigalion idunae and Sigalion boa, with the latter having priority, but due to its incomplete original description and figures, feels necessary to keep the name S. idunae for the Scandinavian specimens, at least for the time being
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Description The dorsal side is covered with overlapping scales (elytra). The shape of the elytra varies from round, reniform to cordiform depending on the body part. They are usually covered with papillae. The body is long (up to 200 mm) and has numerous segments; dorsal side is convex, ventral side is flattened. The dorsal side has a light grey, yellowish or brownish colour with red to black transverse bands. [details]Distribution Sthenelais boa has a limited distribution on the Belgian part of the North Sea: in both periods the species was only observed in the near-coastal zone, with the exception of the eastern coastal zone. Whereas S. boa was only found in low densities in the 1976-1986 period (maximum 12 ind./m2) densities up to 250 ind./m2 were recorded in the 1994-2001 period. [details]
Distribution southern Gaspe waters (Baie des Chaleurs, Gaspe Bay to American, Orphan and Bradelle banks; eastern boundary: Eastern Bradelle Valley); Magdalen Islands (from Eastern Bradelle valley to the west, as far as Cape North, including the Cape Breton Channel) [details]
Habitat Sthenelais boa prefers fine-grained sediments with a median grain size of 150 to 250 μm. The species is nevertheless also found in finer and coarser sediments (up to 500 μm). Preference is given to sediments that are to some extent enriched with mud (maximum 40%). The highest relative occurrence (60%) is reached in sediments with a mud content of 10-20%. [details]
Habitat infralittoral of the Gulf and estuary [details]
Publication date (Johnston, 1839) [details]
Spelling Sthenalais in Kalk (1958). [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| English | boa-shaped scalewormboa worm | [details] |
| French | sthénélais | [details] |
| German | Sand-Schuppenwurm | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (9 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (56 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications) (from synonym Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Sthenelais boa)
To GenBank (1022 nucleotides; 10 proteins)
To PESI (from synonym Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895)
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Fimbriosthenelais minor (Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895))
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Annelida Collection (301 records)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Annelida Collection (4 records) (from synonym Fimbriosthenelais minor (Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895))
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (56 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications) (from synonym Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Sthenelais boa)
To GenBank (1022 nucleotides; 10 proteins)
To PESI (from synonym Sthenelais minor Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895)
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Fimbriosthenelais minor (Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895))
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Annelida Collection (301 records)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Annelida Collection (4 records) (from synonym Fimbriosthenelais minor (Pruvot & Racovitza, 1895))
To ITIS
Unreviewed
