CLASSIFICATION OF TEREBELLA
PHYLUM :- ANNELIDA (Metamerically segmented, coelomate and laterally symmetrical. )
CLASS :- POLYCHAETA (Many setae, clitellum absent. )
ORDER :- SEDENTARIA (Tubicolous, sedentary and proboscis not-protrusible, without jaws or teeth.)
GENUS :- Terebella
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
It is found in Europe, U.S.A., Woods Hole region and Vineyard Sound to Bay of Fundy.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Terebella is a marine, burrowing, sedentary annelid. The animal burrows in tubes in sand. Some species live 10 to 230 fathoms deep.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF TEREBELLA
- Body is elongated, cylindrical and divided into head and trunk.
- Head is horseshoe-shaped, made up of prostomium and peristomium.
- Prostomium contains number of long filliform bushy tentacles.
- Trunk contains about 60 segments reddish in colour and divided into anterior region or cirri, middle region with cirri and posterior region without cirri.
- Gills or branchiae are found on the dorsal surface of few anterior segments and they form 4 wide comb like branches on a single peduncle.
- Anterior 113 body is thickened while major part of the posterior body tapers narrowly.
- Setae of anterior segments are well developed while reduced in posterior segments.
IDENTIFICATION
The animal the head contains bushy tentacles and all above characters and hence it is Terebella.
