VERMES 119 



Nereis pelagica Linne (Clam Worm) 



PLATE XIII. Fig. 7; Fig. 17 



Red-brown, up to five inches long; body widest 

 at the middle. Head with pair of tentacles and four 

 pairs of cirri (hair-like structures). 



Very common in shallow water along- the New 

 England coast. Present along the New Jersey coast 

 but not as abundant as N. limbata; reported as far 

 south as South Carolina. Found among mussels, 

 under stones, etc, from between the tides to deep 

 water. Females longer than males. Used as bait 

 as are all species of Nereis. 



Nereis limbata Elders 1 



PLATE XIII. Fig. 3 



Usually shorter than the above and always 

 widest at the anterior end instead of at the middle 

 (as pelagica). Common all along the New Jersey 

 coast and especially abundant in the oyster beds of 

 Delaware Bay. 



One phase of this species is very similar to the European 

 Nereis dumerilii Audouin and Milne-Edwards and it is pos- 

 sible that some of the records of N. dumerilii from the east 

 coast of the United States are really N. Limbata. The follow- 

 ing key, kindly furnished by Dr. J. Percy Moore, will help the 

 more technical reader to identify the three species of Nereis 

 found along the New Jersey coast : 

 Notocirral lobe of parapodia enlarged and foliacious 



Foliacious lobes broad ovate and on all 

 parapodia nearly to the anterior end N. virens 



Foliacious lobes more or less narrow and 

 elongate (lingulate and confined to 



middle and posterior segments N . limbata 



Notocirral lobe not foliacious but simply 



cirri form N. pelagica 



