Poeobius | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Annelida |
Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
Clade: | Sedentaria |
Order: | Terebellida |
Family: | Flabelligeridae |
Genus: |
Poeobius Heath, 1930 |
Species: | P. meseres
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Binomial name | |
Poeobius meseres Heath, 1930
|
Poeobius is a genus of marine polychaete worm. It contains the single species Poeobius meseres, or balloon worm. [1] [2] This is a common and abundant resident in the midwater around the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones, especially in Monterey Bay. [3] They can be found at around 300-2,500 m (980-8,200 ft) depth from Japan to Alaska to the Gulf of California, and have also been reported in South America. [3]
The species is a passive detritivore, using a mucus net to capture marine snow as it hangs neutrally-buoyant midwater. [4] The gelatinous body consist of 11 poorly defined segments with no setae or external segmentation. [5] Only two septa remains, which divides the coelomic cavity into an anterior, middle and posterior coelom. There is no serial duplication of the internal organs. [6] They have a maximum size of 36 mm (1.5 in). [3]
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