Aphrodita is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Several members of the genus are known as "sea mice".
Etymology
The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, the Ancient Greek goddess of love, said to be because of a resemblance to human female genitalia. The English name may derive from the animal's similarity, when washed up on shore, to a bedraggled house mouse.
Description Aphrodita adults generally fall within a size range of , with some growing to . The body is covered in a dense mat of parapodia and setae (hairlike structures). The animal lacks eyes, feeling its way with two pairs of appendages close to the mouth. Several small, bristly, paddle-like appendages provide locomotion. Aphrodita are hermaphroditic, having functional reproductive organs of both sexes, with the eggs of one individual being fertilised by the sperm of another.
Structural coloration
The spines, or setae on the back of the animal are a unique feature. Normally, these have a deep red sheen. But when light shines on them perpendicularly, they flush green and blue – a "remarkable example of photonic engineering by a living organism". This structural coloration is a defense mechanism, giving a warning signal to potential predators. The effect is produced by many hexagonal cylinders within the spines, which are said to perform much more efficiently than man-made optical fibres.
Feeding
Aphrodita are typically scavengers. However, Aphrodita aculeata is an active predator, feeding primarily on small crabs, hermit crabs, and other polychaete worms such as Pectinaria.
Species Species recognized by the World Register of Marine Species:
Aphrodita abyssalis Kirkegaard, 1996 Aphrodita aculeata Linnaeus, 1758 Aphrodita acuminata Ehlers, 1887 Aphrodita alta Kinberg, 1856 Aphrodita annulata Pennant, 1777 Aphrodita aphroditoides (McIntosh, 1885) Aphrodita armifera Moore, 1910 Aphrodita audouini Castelnau, 1842 Aphrodita australis Baird, 1865 Aphrodita bamarookis Hutchings & McRae, 1993 Aphrodita bisetosa Rozbaczylo & Canahuire, 2000 Aphrodita brevitentaculata Essenberg, 1917 Aphrodita californica Essenberg, 1917 Aphrodita clavigera Freminville, 1812 Aphrodita daiyumaruae Imajima, 2005 Aphrodita decipiens (Horst, 1916) Aphrodita defendens Chamberlin, 1919 Aphrodita diplops Fauchald, 1977 Aphrodita echidna Quatrefages, 1866 Aphrodita elliptica Aphrodita falcifera Hartman, 1939 Aphrodita goolmarris Hutchings & McRae, 1993 Aphrodita hoptakero Otto in Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1832 Aphrodita japonica Marenzeller, 1879 Aphrodita kulmaris Hutchings & McRae, 1993 Aphrodita limosa (Horst, 1916) Aphrodita longicornis Kinberg, 1855 Aphrodita longipalpa Essenberg, 1917 Aphrodita macroculata Imajima, 2001 Aphrodita magellanica Malard, 1891 Aphrodita malayana (Horst, 1916) Aphrodita malkaris Hutchings & McRae, 1993 Aphrodita maorica Benham, 1900 Aphrodita marombis Hutchings & McRae, 1993 Aphrodita mexicana Kudenov, 1975 Aphrodita modesta Quatrefages, 1866 Aphrodita negligens Moore, 1905 Aphrodita nipponensis Imajima, 2003 Aphrodita obtecta Ehlers, 1887 Aphrodita parva Moore, 1905 Aphrodita perarmata Roule, 1898 Aphrodita refulgida Moore, 1910 Aphrodita rossi Knox & Cameron, 1998 Aphrodita roulei Horst, 1917 Aphrodita scolopendra Bruguière, 1789 Aphrodita sericea Castelnau, 1842 Aphrodita sibogae (Horst, 1916) Aphrodita sondaica Grube, 1875 Aphrodita sonorae Kudenov, 1975 Aphrodita talpa Quatrefages, 1866 Aphrodita terraereginae Haswell, 1883 Aphrodita tosaensis Imajima, 2001 Aphrodita watasei Izuka, 1912
References
External links
Sea Mouse images A Natural Photonic Crystal