Aeolosoma (Annelida) Movies

Aeolosoma Video No. 1 - A close-up view of a translucent aeolosoma worm shows its bristles; under oblique illumination at a magnification of 100x with a playing time of 10.7 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (4.55 MB).

Aeolosoma Video No. 2 - An aeolosoma worm flexes, contracts, and stretches; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 100x with a playing time of 27.9 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (11.6 MB).

Aeolosoma Video No. 3 - A close-up view of a translucent Aeolosoma worm shows its bristles and inner workings; under oblique illumination at a magnification of 100x with a playing time of 14.7 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (5.65 MB).

Aeolosoma Video No. 4 - Ripples of movements travel along the length of this Aeolosoma worm; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 200x with a playing time of 21.1 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (8.8 MB).

Aeolosoma Video No. 5 - A close-up view as an aeolosoma worm extends and contracts its body to slide across the microscope field; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 100x with a playing time of 14.6 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (6.11 MB).

These transparent microannelids inhabit soils and decaying material in stagnant water, using cilia to move about. Like other annelids, Aeolosoma has a segmented body (roundworms and flatworms aren't segmented), generally consisting of about 17 segments. All but the first segment, after the head, bear sets of bristle-like structures called setae or chaetae.