Pauline Walsh Jacobson, USA
Info
Chloeia fusca McIntosh, 1885
Chloeia are segmented bristle worms. They have an elliptical body shape and feed in a predatory manner. Chloeia fireworms are found around the tropics. Most live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Only a few species are found in the Atlantic. Fireworms are predominantly nocturnal predators.
The type locality for the description of Chloeia fusca is Indonesia, Banda Sea, Banda Islands. Description: Two dark lines running from the head to the tail, feathery gills and tufts of long, stiff bristles of different colors. Occurrence: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Loyalty Islands, French Polynesia to Hawaii, from the intertidal zone to 204 m water depth. Occurs on muddy sand.
Chloeia bristle worms have sharp, poisonous, whitish, chalky bristles or spines that easily break off on contact with human skin, causing an unpleasant, burning and painful rash, to which the name fireworm refers. So please be careful. Do not touch these bristle worms, even if they are very beautiful and often colorful animals!
Synonymised name
Chloeia longisetosa Potts, 1909 · unaccepted (subjective synonym)
Chloeia are segmented bristle worms. They have an elliptical body shape and feed in a predatory manner. Chloeia fireworms are found around the tropics. Most live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Only a few species are found in the Atlantic. Fireworms are predominantly nocturnal predators.
The type locality for the description of Chloeia fusca is Indonesia, Banda Sea, Banda Islands. Description: Two dark lines running from the head to the tail, feathery gills and tufts of long, stiff bristles of different colors. Occurrence: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Loyalty Islands, French Polynesia to Hawaii, from the intertidal zone to 204 m water depth. Occurs on muddy sand.
Chloeia bristle worms have sharp, poisonous, whitish, chalky bristles or spines that easily break off on contact with human skin, causing an unpleasant, burning and painful rash, to which the name fireworm refers. So please be careful. Do not touch these bristle worms, even if they are very beautiful and often colorful animals!
Synonymised name
Chloeia longisetosa Potts, 1909 · unaccepted (subjective synonym)
