''Aphrodita'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

polychaete Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class (biology), class of generally marine invertebrate, marine annelid worms, common name, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that ...

worm Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limbs, and no eyes (though not always). Worms vary in size from microscopic to over in length for marine polychaete wor ...

s found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice".

Etymology

The name of the genus is taken from

Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...

, the Ancient Greek goddess of love, said to be because of a supposed resemblance to human female genitalia. The English name may derive from the resemblance to a bedraggled

house mouse The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus '' Mus''. Althoug ...

when washed up on shore.

Description

The body of the sea mouse is covered in a dense mat of parapodia and ''

setae In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...

'' (hairlike structures). Adults generally fall within a size range of , but some grow to . The sea mouse has two pairs of feeler-like appendages close to the mouth and does not have eyes. Locomotion is carried out by several small, bristly, paddle-like appendages. They are hermaphroditic which means that they have functional reproductive organs of both sexes. The eggs of one individual are fertilised by the sperm of another.

Structural coloration

The spines, or ''setae'' on the scaled back of the sea mouse are a unique feature. Normally, these have a deep red sheen, warning off predators, but when the light shines on them perpendicularly, they flush green and blue, a "remarkable example of

photonic Photonics is a branch of optics that involves the application of generation, detection, and manipulation of light in form of photons through emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, and sensing. Though ...

engineering by a living organism". This

structural coloration Structural coloration in animals, and a few plants, is the production of colour by microscopically structured surfaces fine enough to interfere with visible light instead of pigments, although some structural coloration occurs in combination wit ...

is a

defense mechanism In psychoanalytic theory, a defence mechanism (American English: defense mechanism), is an unconscious psychological operation that functions to protect a person from anxiety-producing thoughts and feelings related to internal conflicts and o ...

, giving a

warning signal Aposematism is the Advertising in biology, advertising by an animal to potential predation, predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defences which make the prey difficult to kill and eat, suc ...

to potential predators. The effect is produced by many hexagonal cylinders within the spines, which "perform much more efficiently than man-made

optical fibres An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means t ...

Feeding

''Aphrodita'' are typically scavengers. However, ''

Aphrodita aculeata ''Aphrodita aculeata'', the sea mouse, is a ocean, marine polychaete worm found in the North Atlantic, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean. The sea mouse normally lies buried head-first in the sand. It has been ...

'' is an active predator, feeding primarily on small crabs, hermit crabs and other

worms such as '' Pectinaria''.

Species

Species recognized by the

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialist ...

: *''

Aphrodita abyssalis ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Kirkegaard, 1996 *''

'' Linnaeus, 1758 *''

Aphrodita acuminata ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Ehlers, 1887 *''

Aphrodita alta ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Kinberg, 1856 *''

Aphrodita annulata ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Pennant, 1777 *''

Aphrodita aphroditoides ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' (McIntosh, 1885) *''

Aphrodita armifera ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Moore, 1910 *''

Aphrodita audouini ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Castelnau, 1842<'small> *''

Aphrodita australis ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite ...

'' Baird, 1865 *''

Aphrodita bamarookis ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' Hutchings & McRae, 1993 *''

Aphrodita bisetosa ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' Rozbaczylo & Canahuire, 2000 *''

Aphrodita brevitentaculata ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of ocean, marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphr ...

'' Essenberg, 1917 *'' Aphrodita californica'' Essenberg, 1917 *'' Aphrodita clavigera'' Freminville, 1812 *'' Aphrodita daiyumaruae'' Imajima, 2005 *''

Aphrodita decipiens ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' (Horst, 1916) *''

Aphrodita defendens ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' Chamberlin, 1919 *'' Aphrodita diplops'' Fauchald, 1977 *'' Aphrodita echidna'' Quatrefages, 1866 *''

Aphrodita elliptica ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' *'' Aphrodita falcifera'' Hartman, 1939 *'' Aphrodita goolmarris'' Hutchings & McRae, 1993 *''

Aphrodita hoptakero ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' Otto in Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1832 *'' Aphrodita japonica'' Marenzeller, 1879 *'' Aphrodita kulmaris'' Hutchings & McRae, 1993 *'' Aphrodita limosa'' (Horst, 1916) *''

Aphrodita longicornis ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' 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 ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of ocean, marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphr ...

'' (Horst, 1916) *'' Aphrodita sondaica'' Grube, 1875 *'' Aphrodita sonorae'' Kudenov, 1975 *''

Aphrodita talpa ''Aphrodita'' is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean sea and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Several members of this genus are known as "sea mice". Etymology The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, ...

'' Quatrefages, 1866 *'' Aphrodita terraereginae'' Haswell, 1883 *'' Aphrodita tosaensis'' Imajima, 2001 *'' Aphrodita watasei'' Izuka, 1912

References

External links

Sea Mouse images

A Natural Photonic Crystal
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3918661 Phyllodocida