Syllis cornuta Rathke, 1843

Synonyms:
Ehlersia (Syllis) cornuta (Rathke, 1843)
Ehlersia cornuta (Rathke, 1843)
Langerhansia cornuta (Rathke, 1843)
Langerhansia cornuta hystricis (McIntosh, 1902)
Syllis (Ehlersia) cornuta Rathke, 1843 (synonym)
Syllis (Langerhansia) cornuta Rathke, 1843
Syllis (Typosyllis) cornuta Rathke, 1843
Syllis cornuta collingsii McIntosh, 1908
Typosyllis (Ehlersia) cornuta (Rathke, 1843)
Typosyllis (Langerhansia) cornuta (Rathke, 1843)
Typosyllis cornuta (Rathke, 1843)

Distinguishing characteristics
Palps oval, longer than the prostomium, totally separate.
Two pairs of annulated tentacular cirri.
Compound chaetae with shorter and one or two with long blades.

Species description
Body long and slender. Prostomium semicircular, broader than long, with 4 eyes in a trapezoid arrangement and with or without 2 eyespots. Anterior pair of eyes larger than posterior pair. Palps oval, longer than the prostomium, totally separate. Three antennae (1 pair lateral and a median one). Antennae, tentacular and dorsal cirri annulated. Two pairs of tentacular cirri. Dorsal tentacular cirri about as long as lateral antennae, ventral ones shorter. Dorsal cirri alternating, longer and shorter. Compound chaetae with shorter and one or two with long blades. Posterior parapodia dorsally and ventrally also with a simple bidentate chaeta. Two pygidial cirri and a little tail.

Size
Up to 45 mm for over 100 segments.

Color
Alive animal yellowish, grey wit reddish banding or rust red.

Habitat
In sand and mud, between stones, shells and sponges. Down to 3000 m. Species indifferent to enrichment, always present in low densities with non-significant variations with time.

Mobility
Mobile.

Feeding
Carnivore.

Life cycle

Distribution
World-wide, Atlantic to English Channel, Kattegat, Skagerrak and Öresund.