| Palolo worm | |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Class: | Polychaeta |
| Order: | Eunicida |
| Family: | Eunicidae |
| Genus: | Palola |
| Species: | P. viridis |
| Binomial name | |
| Palola viridis (Gray, 1840) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Eunice viridis |
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The palolo worm or Samoan palolo worm (Palola viridis) is a species of invertebrate in the Eunicidae family. They live in tropical coral reefs. Adults are about 12 inches (30 cm) long and resemble spaghetti when viewed underwater.
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Life cycle
Reproduction involves mass spawning at night in spring or early summer (October - November in the Southern Hemisphere). The terminal parts of their bodies drop off and float over the surface of the water, releasing sperm and eggs. The mechanisms or triggers which induce spawning such that it occurs during nights of a waning moon, continuing for several nights, are not completely known.[1]
Taxonomy
It is sometimes synonymized with Palola siciliensis.
Distribution
It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, Indonesia, and Samoa.
Cultural Use
The reproductive portion of the palolo worm is used as a food source for natives in Samoa during their short lived annual appearance during the last quarter of the moon in October and November. During this time they are enthusiastically gathered with a net and either eaten raw or cooked in several different manners. This event is so important to the inhabitants of the Banks Islands, that it featured in their Lunar Calendar.[2]
Notes
- ^ Craig, P.. "Natural History Guide to American Samoa". National Park of American Samoa, Department Marine and Wildlife Resources, American Samoa Community College. http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/basch/uhnpscesu/pdfs/NatHistGuideAS09op.pdf. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
- ^ R.H.Codrington. The Melanesians: Their anthropology and folklore (1891) Oxford, Clarendon Press
References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. Eunice viridis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 August 2007.
- R.H.Codrington. The Melanesians: Their anthropology and folklore (1891) Oxford, Clarendon Press
External links
- Image of the head of a palolo worm
- National Geographic: Samoa Worm Sperm Spawns Annual Fiesta
- The Lunar Calendar of the Banks Islands
- Images of Palolo worms
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