Biodiversity & Conservation

General Information

Gallery worm - Capitella capitata - General information

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Capitella capitata recorded () and expected () distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

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Capitella capitata is not listed under any importance categories.

General information

Researched by:	Karen Riley and Jaret Bilewitch	Refereed by:	Mike Kendall

Taxonomy

Phylum	Annelida	Segmented worms e.g. ragworms, tubeworms & fanworms
Class	Polychaeta	Bristleworms, e.g. ragworms, scaleworms, paddleworms, fanworms and tubeworms

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland	Reported from all coasts of Britain and Ireland.
Habitat information	Capitella capitata occurs on muddy sand, gritty sand, fine sand or rich mud on the lower shore to sub-littoral. It may be found under pebbles or small stones, with the burrows at or near the surface of the sediment. Capitella capitata is also frequently found in polluted or disturbed areas, such as harbours, near sewage outfalls and sludge dumps and in sediments contaminated with oil.
Description	A polychaete worm that grows up to 40 mm in length. It is blood-red in colour and has the most earthworm-like appearance of all polychaetes. It lacks gills, eyes and head appendages and has insignificant parapodia. The chaetae are hair-like spines near the head and have crochet hooks towards the rear. The species is sedentary and fragile, with a flexible body.

This review can be cited as follows:

Karen Riley and Jaret Bilewitch 2009. Capitella capitata. Gallery worm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19/06/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesfullreview.php?speciesID=2875>

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Capitella capitata

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Capitella capitata

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