Dorvillea angolana

About Dorvillea angolana

Dorvillea angolana is a small marine bristle worm in Dorvilleidae. Day’s 1967 diagnosis describes a pale, slender animal about 10 millimeters long with approximately 80 segments. The rounded head is slightly wider than long and carries two pairs of eyes, with the anterior pair larger and more lateral. Two short, distinctly jointed antennae and two smoother palps project from the head. Small appendages along the body bear delicate chaetae. The animal lacks a conspicuous gill crown or the dense bristle fans characteristic of fireworms.

Species identification depends on more than this outline. The jaws, parapodial lobes, dorsal cirri, and the shapes of simple and compound chaetae require microscopic comparison. Day’s account distinguishes the species through this combination of characters and records its West African type origin. Those references explain the reconstruction; they are not evidence of a new Kauaʻi specimen examination.

A 2026 integrative study of related Dorvillea found substantial hidden diversity among animals previously identified through similar external characters. It also cautions that older descriptions of D. angolana and D. similis lack live color information. The Atlas therefore uses restrained coloration drawn from the published morphology and presents the plate as a reconstruction, rather than asserting an undocumented live color pattern. No sex-specific or juvenile form has been invented, and the image cannot distinguish genetically or microscopically similar species by itself.

The Kauaʻi record is retained from Appendix A, printed page 84, of Bishop Museum Technical Report 29a, with source evidence associated with the 2002 survey and its compiled record set. This supports the historical identification reported there, not present abundance, persistence throughout the island, native origin, or a current distribution survey. Re-examination of local vouchers using modern comparative characters would strengthen the identification. The previous Atlas image remains accessible as an archived secondary reference.