Nais elinguis Muller

Recognition

One to 3 dorsal hair chaetae are present. The 1 to 3 dorsal needle chaetae are bifid with long parallel teeth and they are straighter than the ventral chaetae. The ventral chaetae on 2 to 5 are similar to those on 6 like Nais communis, but the teeth of the dorsal bifid chaetae are long and parallel. Eyes may be present or absent.

Summary

The length is 2.2 to 12 mm. It swims with lateral movements. It can be abundant in organically enriched sites.

Distribution

This is a worldwide species.

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