General Description

In members of this genus there are short-bladed chaetae with a distinctive ball-and-socket articulation present in the dorsal buch of chaetae on most segments starting at about 12-15 (these are referred to as "homogomph falcigers" in technical diagnoses). Paragnaths are present, usually on both rings of the eversible phayrnx. This species can be distinguished since only two local Nereis species have paragnaths present on Area V and have multidentate short bladed chaetae in the dorsal bundle of each foot. In Nereis cockburnensis the short bladed chaetae are first present on chaetiger 3, whereas in Nereis jacksoni they do not appear until chaetiger 10 or later. Body up to about 3 cm long.

Habitat

Collected from a wide variety of habitats, intertidal to depth of 20 m, occasionally as deep as 80 m.

Seagrass meadows

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia, or south-western Australia.

Species Group

Worms › Ragworms

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3 cm

Commercial Species

No

Species Code

MoV 1100

Identify

• Worms

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed