Department of Zoology at ANDC/Zoology Museum/Museum specimens/Annelida/Aphrodite

Aphrodite Date & Time : 20, November 2024 12:40 Common Name: Sea mouse Distribution: found in U.S.A. Habit and Habitat: marine and burrowing form. Identifying features:- Body-short and broad. Body shape - oval,dorso-ventrally flattened. Length - 7.5 to 12.5 cm with 30-35 segments. Ventral surface- It is flat and segmented, consists of stiff setae and forms the creeping sole of the body. Dorsal surface- It contains  soft notopodial long setae (irridescent, modified) orming a felt like covering on the surface. Dorsal cirri are modified into plate like structure called Elytra( 15 pair).. Head- situated anteriorly having a median tentacle and a pair of lateral palps. There are greatly modified parapodia in Aphrodite. There are three types of setae present in notopodia. The organism is identified on the basis of these setae:- Soft setae-These setae forms the creeping sole of ventral surface. stiff setae-These soft notopodial setae are modified into  the felt like covering of dorsal surface. iridescent setae. Anus-It is situated posteriorly on the dorsal surface.