Aphrodita

Genus of marine worms

For the Ancient Greek goddess, see Aphrodite.

Aphrodita

Aphrodita aculeata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Annelida
Clade:  | Pleistoannelida
Subclass:  | Errantia
Order:  | Phyllodocida
Suborder:  | Aphroditiformia
Family:  | Aphroditidae
Genus:  | Aphrodita
Linnaeus, 1758[1]
Type species
Aphrodita aculeata

Linnaeus, 1758

Species

See text

Aphrodita is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.[2]

Several members of the genus are known as "sea mice".

## Etymology

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Dorsal view, removed from water

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.[3] The English name may derive from the animal's similarity, when washed up on shore, to a bedraggled house mouse.[4]

## Description

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Aphrodita adults generally fall within a size range of 7.5 to 15 centimetres (3.0 to 5.9 in), with some growing to 30 centimetres (12 in). The body is covered in a dense mat of parapodia and setae (hairlike structures).[2] 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.[5]

## Structural coloration

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Further information: Structural coloration

The spines, or setae[2] 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.[6]

## Feeding

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Aphrodita are typically scavengers.[2] However, Aphrodita aculeata is an active predator,[7] feeding primarily on small crabs, hermit crabs, and other polychaete worms such as Pectinaria.[7]

## Species

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Species recognized by the World Register of Marine Species:[1]

* 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<'small>
* 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

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1. ^ a b Fauchald, Kristian; Bellan, Gérard (2008). "Aphrodita Linnaeus, 1758". World Polychaeta database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
2. ^ a b c d "sea mouse". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
3. ^ Kennedy, Jennifer (1 October 2019). "Profile of the Sea Mouse Ocean Worm". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
4. ^ Warren, Rebecca; van Zyl, Miezan; O'Rourke, Ruth; Tokeley, Amber; Heilman, Christine, eds. (2006). "Ocean Life". Ocean: The World's Last Wilderness Revealed (first American ed.). New York City: DK Publishing. p. 276\. ISBN 978-0-7566-2205-3.
5. ^ "Sea Mouse". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
6. ^ "Sea mouse promises bright future". BBC News. BBC. January 3, 2001. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
7. ^ a b Tyler, Lizzie. "BIOTIC Species Information for Aphrodita aculeata". Biological Traits Information Catalogue. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aphrodita.

* Sea Mouse images
* A Natural Photonic Crystal

Taxon identifiers

Aphrodita|

* Wikidata: Q3918661
* Wikispecies: Aphrodita
* ADW: Aphrodita
* AFD: Aphrodita
* BOLD: 157446
* CoL: 84LGS
* EoL: 52794
* GBIF: 2311081
* iNaturalist: 361646
* IRMNG: 1330909
* ITIS: 64360
* NBN: NBNSYS0000173885
* NCBI: 45665
* NZOR: 5a45b9b4-ff7d-4ef9-9c26-c4bc02eb53a0
* Open Tree of Life: 487568
* Plazi: 90F67090-65E8-7303-CB26-F3BD579A177D
* WoRMS: 129194
* ZooBank: 1853013D-9CCD-4907-A911-1E477BCCCA24

Authority control databases

National|

* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX