Description:-

Body narrowing to a point at each end, with about 400 segments; upto 500-600 mm long. Four eyes in a transverse row at rear edge of prostomium. Parapods with two lobes, postero-ventral one an elongated conical shape. Dorsal cirri small tubercles, no ventral cirri. Several protruding yellow acicula to each parapod. Chaeta all simple, short and strong. Four short anal cirri. Pinkish-grey, iridescent; sometimes four longitudinal rows of dark spots on fore segments (lost in alcohol).

Threats:-

Remark:-

Habitat:-

At low water and in the shallow sublittoral, in muddy sand.

Synonyms:-

Arabella (Arabella) iricolor (Montagu, 1804)
Arabella lagunae Chamberlin, 1919
Arabella maculosa Verrill, 1900
Arabella multidentata (Ehlers, 1887)
Arabella setosa Treadwell, 1921
Aracoda moebiana Grube, 1878
Aracoda multidentata Ehlers, 1887
Drilonereis pinnata Treadwell, 1921
Lumbriconereis longissima Grube, 1857
Lumbriconereis opalina Verrill, 1873
Lumbriconereis quadristriata Grube, 1840
Lumbriconereis splendida Leidy, 1855
Lumbrinereis st­hilaryi Delle Chiaje, 1841
Lumbrinereis tricolor Johnston, 1865
Lumbrineris dubia Quatrefages, 1866
Lumbrineris gigantea Quatrefages, 1866
Maclovia iricolor capensis Willey, 1904
Nereis iricolor Montagu, 1804
Nereis tricolor Leach in Johnston, 1865
Notocirrus margaritaceus Quatrefages, 1866
Notocirrus tricolor (Johnston, 1865)
Oenone maculata Milne Edwards, 1836

References:-

Read, G. (2014). Arabella iricolor (Montagu, 1804). In: Read, G.;
Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2014) World Polychaeta database. Accessed through:
World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?
p=taxdetails&id=129854 on 2015­01­22

Hayward, P. J and J. S. Ryland, 1995. Annelids. In: Handbook of the marine fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford university press.