''Neopolynoe acanellae'' is a scale worm known from the North Atlantic Ocean at depths about 400 to 2000 m.Verrill, A.E. 1882. Notice of recent additions to the marine Invertebrata of the northeastern coast of America, with descriptions of new genera and species and critical remarks on others. Part III.Catalogue of Mollusca recently added to the fauna of southern New England. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 22: 405-409

Description

''Neopolynoe acanellae'' has up to 72 segments with 15 pairs of elytra that bear marginal fringe of papillae but no color patterning. Lateral antennae are positioned ventrally on the

prostomium The prostomium (From Ancient Greek, meaning "before the mouth"; plural: prostomia; sometimes also called the "acron") is the cephalized first body segment in an annelid worm's body at the anterior end. It is in front of (but does not include) th ...

, directly beneath the median antenna ceratophore and almost obscured in dorsal view. The

notochaetae A chaeta or cheta (from Greek χαίτη “crest, mane, flowing hair"; plural: chaetae) is a chitinous bristle or seta found in annelid worms, (although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates such ...

are about as thick as

neurochaetae A chaeta or cheta (from Greek χαίτη “crest, mane, flowing hair"; plural: chaetae) is a chitinous bristle or seta found in annelid worms, (although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates such ...

and only possess simple tips.

Biology

''Neopolynoe acanellae'' has a commensal relationship with host corals of the genus

Anthomastus ''Anthomastus'' is a genus of soft corals in the family Alcyoniidae. Species Species in the genus include: *''Anthomastus aberrans'' (Thomson & Henderson, 1906) *''Anthomastus agaricoides'' (Thomson & Henderson, 1906) *'' Anthomastus agaricus'' ...

and

Acanella ''Acanella'' is a genus of deep sea bamboo coral of the family Isididae. Acanella are mainly studied and found in Hawaii, they are able to survive in high-flow sites and are preyed upon by nudibranch mollusks. It has a high fecundity and small ...

, as well as with

sponges Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through ...

.Taboada S, Silva AS, Neal L, Cristobo J, Ríos P, Alvarez-Campos P, Hestetun JT, Koutsouveli V, Sherlock E, Riesgo A (2019) Insights into the symbiotic relationship between scale worms and carnivorous sponges (Cladorhizidae, Chondrocladia). Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers: 103191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2019.103191

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2045362 Phyllodocida