Polyeunoa laevis
{{Short description|Species of annelid worm}}
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|genus=Polyeunoa
|species=laevis
|authority=McIntosh 1885Read, G.; Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2020). World Polychaeta database. Polyeunoa laevis McIntosh, 1885. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=174391
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Polyeunoa laevis is a scale worm which is widely distributed in the Southern Ocean and occurs over a wide depth range, from 35m to 2450m.Barnich R, Gambi C, Fiege D (2012) Revision of the genus Polyeunoa McIntosh, 1885 (Polychaeta, Polynoidae). Zootaxa 3523: 25–38. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3523.1.3.McIntosh, William C. [as M'Intosh]. (1885). Report on the Annelida Polychaeta collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–76. Zoology. 12 (part 34): i-xxxvi, 1-554, pl. 1-55, 1A-39A, & Annelida stations map., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50688426
Description
Polyeunoa laevis has 75 segments, with 15 pairs of elytra. the dorsum is covered with numerous dark brown cross lines on every segment that are especially dense anteriorly. The lateral antennae inserted ventrally (beneath prostomium and median antenna). The notochaetae can be distinctly thicker than the neurochaetae, or about as thick as the neurochaetae, with bidentate neurochaetae absent.{{Cite book| publisher = CSIRO Publishing|editor= R.S. Wilson |editor2=P.A. Hutchings |editor3=C. J. Glasby | last1 = Fauchald| first1 = K.| last2 = Wilson| first2 = R.S.| title = Polychaetes: An Interactive Identification Guide| chapter = Polynoidae (Polychaeta)-A DELTA database of genera, and Australian species| location = Melbourne| date = 2003}}
Taxonomic comments
There is significant morphological and genetic diversity from different populations across P. laevis' range and it is possible that further research will result in this taxon being divided into several species.Bogantes, V.E., Whelan, N.V., Webster, K., Mahon, A.R. and Halanych, K.M., 2020. Unrecognized diversity of a scale worm, Polyeunoa laevis (Annelida: Polynoidae), that feeds on soft coral. Zoologica Scripta, 49(2), pp.236-249. http://nathanwhelan.com/assests/Bogantes_et_al_2020.pdf