Prionospio cirrifera Wirén, 1883

Synonyms:
Laonice cirrata minuta Augener, 1921
Minuspio cirrifera Foster,1971

Distinguishing characteristics
6 to 8 pairs of apinnate branchiae, starting at chaetiger 2.
Neuropodial postchaetal lobes on segment 2 with a clearly down-ward curved tip.

Species description
Body slender and slightly flattened. Prostomium rounded triangular, anteriorly broad, with 4 eyes and a caruncle reaching the posterior margin of chaetiger 2. Neuropodial postchaetal lobes on segment 2 with a clearly down-ward curved tip, on other segments rectangular, posteriorly more rounded and short. 6 to 8 pairs of apinnate branchiae, starting at chaetiger 2. First and 6th pair long, and cirriform, other pairs of gills shorter, almost triangular and with a long tips. Anterior segments, only with capillaries on noto- and neuropodia. Neuropodia with hooded hooks from segment 10-17. Notopodia with hooks from segment 18-48. Pygidium with 1 long and 2 short cirri.

Size
Up to 30 mm for 78 segments.

Color
Yellowish.

Habitat
On mud. From upper sublittoral to 4165 m.

Mobility
Discretely motile.

Feeding
Surface deposit feeder.

Life cycle
Free spawning with planktotrophic larvae.

Distribution
Arctic, northern North Sea to Kattegat.