# Aphrodita

Aphrodita is a genus of marine polychaete worms found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Several members of the genus are known as "sea mice".

## Etymology

The name of the genus is taken from Aphrodite, the Ancient Greek goddess of love, said to be because of a resemblance to human female genitalia. The English name may derive from the animal's similarity, when washed up on shore, to a bedraggled house mouse.

## Description

Aphrodita adults generally fall within a size range of 7.5 to 15 centimetres (3.0 to 5.9 in), with some growing to 30 centimetres (12 in). The body is covered in a dense mat of parapodia and setae (hairlike structures). The animal lacks eyes, feeling its way with two pairs of appendages close to the mouth. Several small, bristly, paddle-like appendages provide locomotion. Aphrodita are hermaphroditic, having functional reproductive organs of both sexes, with the eggs of one individual being fertilised by the sperm of another.

## Structural coloration

The spines, or setae on the back of the animal are a unique feature. Normally, these have a deep red sheen. But when light shines on them perpendicularly, they flush green and blue – a "remarkable example of photonic engineering by a living organism". This structural coloration is a defense mechanism, giving a warning signal to potential predators. The effect is produced by many hexagonal cylinders within the spines, which are said to perform much more efficiently than man-made optical fibres.

## Feeding

Aphrodita are typically scavengers. However, Aphrodita aculeata is an active predator, feeding primarily on small crabs, hermit crabs, and other polychaete worms such as Pectinaria.

## Species

Species recognized by the World Register of Marine Species:
* Aphrodita abyssalis Kirkegaard, 1996
* Aphrodita aculeata Linnaeus, 1758
* Aphrodita acuminata Ehlers, 1887
* Aphrodita alta Kinberg, 1856
* Aphrodita annulata Pennant, 1777
* Aphrodita aphroditoides (McIntosh, 1885)
* Aphrodita armifera Moore, 1910
* Aphrodita audouini Castelnau, 1842<'small>
* Aphrodita australis Baird, 1865
* Aphrodita bamarookis Hutchings & McRae, 1993
* Aphrodita bisetosa Rozbaczylo & Canahuire, 2000
* Aphrodita brevitentaculata Essenberg, 1917
* Aphrodita californica Essenberg, 1917
* Aphrodita clavigera Freminville, 1812
* Aphrodita daiyumaruae Imajima, 2005
* Aphrodita decipiens (Horst, 1916)
* Aphrodita defendens Chamberlin, 1919
* Aphrodita diplops Fauchald, 1977
* Aphrodita echidna Quatrefages, 1866
* Aphrodita elliptica
* Aphrodita falcifera Hartman, 1939
* Aphrodita goolmarris Hutchings & McRae, 1993
* Aphrodita hoptakero Otto in Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1832
* Aphrodita japonica Marenzeller, 1879
* Aphrodita kulmaris Hutchings & McRae, 1993
* Aphrodita limosa (Horst, 1916)
* Aphrodita longicornis Kinberg, 1855
* Aphrodita longipalpa Essenberg, 1917
* Aphrodita macroculata Imajima, 2001
* Aphrodita magellanica Malard, 1891
* Aphrodita malayana (Horst, 1916)
* Aphrodita malkaris Hutchings & McRae, 1993
* Aphrodita maorica Benham, 1900
* Aphrodita marombis Hutchings & McRae, 1993
* Aphrodita mexicana Kudenov, 1975
* Aphrodita modesta Quatrefages, 1866
* Aphrodita negligens Moore, 1905
* Aphrodita nipponensis Imajima, 2003
* Aphrodita obtecta Ehlers, 1887
* Aphrodita parva Moore, 1905
* Aphrodita perarmata Roule, 1898
* Aphrodita refulgida Moore, 1910
* Aphrodita rossi Knox & Cameron, 1998
* Aphrodita roulei Horst, 1917
* Aphrodita scolopendra Bruguière, 1789
* Aphrodita sericea Castelnau, 1842
* Aphrodita sibogae (Horst, 1916)
* Aphrodita sondaica Grube, 1875
* Aphrodita sonorae Kudenov, 1975
* Aphrodita talpa Quatrefages, 1866
* Aphrodita terraereginae Haswell, 1883
* Aphrodita tosaensis Imajima, 2001
* Aphrodita watasei Izuka, 1912