Paraleocrates Indica

Paraleocrates Indica Latest News

Researchers recently discovered a new species of marine worm named Paraleocrates indica hiding in the muddy banks of the Champa Estuary in the Bay of Bengal.

About Paraleocrates Indica

• It is a new species of marine worm discovered in the muddy banks of the Champa Estuary in the Bay of Bengal.
• It marks the first time this rare group of creatures has ever been recorded in Indian waters.
• It is a type of muddy bristle worm in the family Hesionidae, known for its colourful bodies and often symbiotic relationships with other sea life, such as starfish. 
• This discovery is only the third known species within its specific genus worldwide.
• To the naked eye, the worm appears reddish and measures between 14 and 35 millimetres in length.
• The most striking characteristic of Paraleocrates indica is its eyes: its front pair of eyes is a staggering five times larger than the back pair. 
• It also sports a pair of fang-shaped jaws, one on the top and one on the bottom, and a set of long, sensitive antennae that help it navigate its murky home.
• It is distinguished from its closest relatives, P. djangkarensis and P. wesenberglundae, in Indonesia and the Gulf of Oman, by its specific bristle count. 
  • It has significantly fewer bristles (called neurochaetae) per bundle and features unique single-pointed blades on its appendages that lack the protective guards found on other species.

Source: RM

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