Peinaleopolynoe

Peinaleopolynoe is a genus belonging to the family Polynoidae (scale worms). Members of this genus generally live in nutrient-rich environments in the deep sea, such as whale fall, which is the reason for their name (Greek plural πειναλεoσ, peinaleos; "famished").[1][2]

Peinaleopolynoe
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Order: Phyllodocida
Family: Polynoidae
Subfamily: Lepidonotopodinae
Genus: Peinaleopolynoe
Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988
Type species
Peinaleopolynoe sillardi
Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988

Description

Species in this genus are short segmented scale worms with 21 segments. They are covered in large, overlapping, kidney-shaped plates (elytra). The bristles (chaetae) on both sides can be seen from above, as they are not covered by the plates. They do not have any eyes.[1]

The four species discovered in 2020 were described as 'glitter worms'[3] due to their shiny and colorful bristles and plates. One of the species, P. elvisi, was named after Elvis Presley, as the shimmering plates reminded the researchers of the sequins on his jumpsuit.[4]

Species

The genus contains 6 recognized species as of June 2020.[5]

  • P. sillardi Desbruyères & Laubier, 1988
  • P. santacatalina Pettibone, 1993
  • P. orphanae Hatch & Rouse, 2020
  • P. elvisi Hatch & Rouse, 2020
  • P. goffrediae Hatch & Rouse, 2020
  • P. mineoi Hatch & Rouse, 2020

References
  1. Hatch, Avery S.; Liew, Haebin; Hourdez, Stéphane; Rouse, Greg W. (2020-12-05). "Hungry scale worms: Phylogenetics of Peinaleopolynoe (Polynoidae, Annelida), with four new species". ZooKeys. 932: 27–74. doi:10.3897/zookeys.932.48532. ISSN 1313-2970.
  2. Desbruyères, D; Laubier, L (1988). "Exploitation d'une source de matière organique concentrée dans l'océan profond: intervention d'une annélide polychète nouvelle". Compte rendu hebdomaidaire des séances de l’Académie des sciences. 307: 329–336.
  3. "Shimmering 'glitter worms' found at the bottom of the sea - CBBC Newsround". Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  4. "New Worm Species with Jewel-Like Scales Discovered in Deep Ocean Darkness". Inside Science. 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  5. Read, Geoffrey B.; Fauchald, Kristian (2020). "The World Polychaeta Database".
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