Stephenson, 1911b
Description
Small worms, although relatively large for the genus Aeolosoma. Prostomium roundish, broader than the subsequent segments, ciliated not only on ventral side but also on the edges of dorsal side. Sensory pits lateral, large, elliptical. Cutaneous glands from olive to brownish green, of irregular shape and size, equipped with satellite cells, biggest on prostomium. Hair chaetae of different length, 190-250 and 80-100 µm long, 1-4 and 0-5 per bundle, respectively. Chains 3-8 mm long, consisting of up to 8 zooids, since several short intercalary zooids can appear simultaneously. The first zooid at least 2 mm long and 0.2-0.3 mm wide. Segment number of the first zooid 7-9. In freshwater. Differing from Aeolosoma marcusi in smaller size, in a smaller segment number, and in mere rudimentary internal segmentation. Another green species, Aeolosoma headleyi, is even smaller, and its chains consist of fewer zooids.
Gliding on substratum.
Distribution
Europe, India, South America.
Ecology
In freshwater.
Reproduction
Asexual reproduction by paratomy (budding) prevailing. Maturing seldom.
Literature
Stephenson, 1911b: 205; Stephenson, 1913: 743, 751; Marcus, 1944: 25-26, Figs 13, 14; Bunke, 1967: 242-245, Fig. 21; Van der Land, 1971: 681; Kasprzak, 1981: 76-77, Fig. 102.