Chaetopterus

 CHAETOPTERUS


CLASSIFICATION:

Phylum: Annelida

Class: Polychaeta

Genus: Chaetopterus


COMMENTS:


•Commonly a Paddle worm.

•It is usually 15 cm to 35 cm in length.

•The body is divisible into three distinct regions - anterior , posterior & middle.

•The anterior region is flat, and usually has nine pairs of simple parapodia which are expanded notopodia, samall prostonium and a funnel shaped peristomial collar with a pair of peristomial cirri & mouth

•Middle region comprises five segments, first anterior most is produced laterally into great wings directed forwards, next segment carries a pair of suckers & the rest there are segments carry membranous folds so called fans formed by the fusion of the notopodia.

•Posterior region comprises thirty similar segments which are devoid of setae

•Mouth is wide & funnel-shaped.

•The food comprises mainly small organisms which are carried by the currents of water set up by fans. It is a the filter feeder.

•Highly phosphoresent emits blue - green light.

•Reproduction is usually asexual & transverse fission.

•It possess a great power of regeneration. The whole can be regenerated from a single segment.













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