Nais communis Piguet

Recognition

One or 2 dorsal hair chaetae are present. There are 1 or 2 dorsal needle chaetae, which are straighter than the ventral chaetae, and they are bifid with diverging teeth. The 2 to 6 ventral chaetae on 2 to 5 are similar to those on 6 like Nais elinguis, but the teeth of the dorsal bifid chaetae are divergent. Eyes are usually present. The stomach widens gradually.

Summary

The length is 1.5 to 6.6 mm or up to 12 mm in chains. A non-swimming species.

Distribution

It occurs worldwide.

26 MAY 1996 D.L. Gustafson
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dlg@rivers.oscs.montana.edu