Tylorrhynchus heterochetus information

Tylorrhynchus heterochetus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Annelida
Clade:	Pleistoannelida
Subclass:	Errantia
Order:	Phyllodocida
Family:	Nereididae
Genus:	Tylorrhynchus
Species:	T. heterochetus
Binomial name
	Tylorrhynchus heterochetus; (Quatrefages, 1866)

Tylorrhynchus heterochetus, also known as the Japanese palolo^[1] is a species of edible ragworm.

The species can be commonly found in estuaries of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea. Its mature size is circa 5.65 cm.^[2]^[3]

The worm inhabits the muddy soil of estuaries and rice paddies. During the reproductive season in November and December, the worms swim up to the surface and migrate to sea at high tide. The males will turn to a white milky colour, whereas females will attain a white-green colour. As the worms reach the higher salinity seawater, they will release their gametes and die.^[2]

Due to pollution and changes to their natural environments, they are nowadays less numerous, and entirely extinct in some habitats.^[2]

The up to 35 cm deep burrows made by the worm in muddy sea beds help to bring oxygen to nitrifying bacteria.^[4]

^ "Palolo worm | Polychaete, Marine Species, Reproduction | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
^ ^a ^b ^c Nguyen, Ngoc Tuan (April 2018). "Biological characteristics and effects of salinity on reproductive activities of marine worm (Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus, Quatefages, 1865) in summer season in Hai Phong – Viet Nam". SNRU Journal of Science and Technology. 10 (1).
^ Zhang, Wenxia; Wang, Zexiong; Ganesan, Kumar; Yuan, Yingzhi; Xu, Baojun (2022-06-22). "Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous Extracts and Protein Hydrolysates from Marine Worm Hechong (Tylorrhynchus heterochaeta)". Foods. 11 (13): 1837. doi:10.3390/foods11131837. ISSN 2304-8158. PMC 9265576. PMID 35804653.
^ Satoh, Hisashi; Nakamura, Yoshiyuki; Okabe, Satoshi (2007-02-15). "Influences of Infaunal Burrows on the Community Structure and Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Intertidal Sediments". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 73 (4): 1341–1348. Bibcode:2007ApEnM..73.1341S. doi:10.1128/AEM.02073-06. ISSN 0099-2240. PMC 1828680. PMID 17189445.

[1] "Palolo worm | Polychaete, Marine Species, Reproduction | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.

[:0-2] Nguyen, Ngoc Tuan (April 2018). "Biological characteristics and effects of salinity on reproductive activities of marine worm (Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus, Quatefages, 1865) in summer season in Hai Phong – Viet Nam". SNRU Journal of Science and Technology. 10 (1).

[3] Zhang, Wenxia; Wang, Zexiong; Ganesan, Kumar; Yuan, Yingzhi; Xu, Baojun (2022-06-22). "Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous Extracts and Protein Hydrolysates from Marine Worm Hechong (Tylorrhynchus heterochaeta)". Foods. 11 (13): 1837. doi:10.3390/foods11131837. ISSN 2304-8158. PMC 9265576. PMID 35804653.

[4] Satoh, Hisashi; Nakamura, Yoshiyuki; Okabe, Satoshi (2007-02-15). "Influences of Infaunal Burrows on the Community Structure and Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Intertidal Sediments". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 73 (4): 1341–1348. Bibcode:2007ApEnM..73.1341S. doi:10.1128/AEM.02073-06. ISSN 0099-2240. PMC 1828680. PMID 17189445.