Pareurythoe californica

Pareurythoe californica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Order: Amphinomida
Family: Amphinomidae
Genus: Pareurythoe
Species:
P. californica
Binomial name
Pareurythoe californica
(Johnson, 1897)
Synonyms
  • Eurythoe californica Johnson, 1897

Pareurythoe californica is a species of bristle worm found in the rocky intertidal of the Eastern Pacific,[1][2][3] particularly in California.[4]

Description

Pareurythoe californica has a long and gradually tapered body that is flat dorsally and square in its cross-section.[1] As members of the family Amphinomidae, P. californica bears distinctive chaetae (bristles) that project laterally from its body. These give the organism a hairy appearance, and inspire common names like bristle worm and sea mouse.[5] The chaetae are used as a defense mechanism and a deterrent to predators, and they can induce irritation in humans when touched.[6]

Life cycle

P. californica are gonochoric. Eggs are produced in the worm's nephridium, and after they are fertilized, they develop into planktonic larvae, which metamorphose into a juvenile stage before reaching the adult stage.[7]

Ecology

P. californica can be described as both a predator and a scavenger.[3] It feeds on a variety of organic materials, including detritus, algae, and occasionally small invertebrates. Additionally, it can obtain nutrients by absorbing amino acids from seawater.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, Herbert P. (1897). "A preliminary account of the marine annelids of the Pacific coast, with descriptions of new species". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 1 (5): 153--199.
  2. ^ Fauchald, Kristian (2008). "Pareurythoe californica (Johnson, 1897)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b c O'Dell, Steven J; Stephens, Grover C (1986). "Uptake of amino acids by Pareurythoe californica: substrate interaction modifies net influx from the environment". Marine Biological Laboratory. 171 (3): 682--693.
  4. ^ "Pareurythoe californica". iNaturalist. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  5. ^ Gunton, Laetitia M; Kupriyanova, Elena K; Alvestad, Tom; Avery, Lynda; Blake, James A; others (2021). "Annelids of the eastern Australian abyss collected by the 2017 RV Investigator voyage". ZooKeys. 1020 (1).
  6. ^ Wiklund, H.; Nygren, A.; Pleijel, F.; Sundberg, P. (2008). "The phylogenetic relationships between Amphinomidae, Archinomidae and Euphrosinidae (Amphinomida: Aciculata: Polychaeta), inferred from molecular data". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK. 88 (3): 509–513. Bibcode:2008JMBUK..88..509W. doi:10.1017/S0025315408000982. S2CID 84732410.
  7. ^ "Pareurythoe californica (Johnson, 1897)". SeaLifeBase. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
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