Leucia

{{short description|Genus of annelids}} {{Automatic_taxobox | image = Leucia nivea.jpg | image_caption = ''Leucia nivea'' (Polynoidae) | image_alt = Leucia nivea (Polynoidae) | taxon = Leucia | authority = Malmgren, 1867 | synonyms = | type_species = ''Polynoe nivea'' | type_species_authority = Sars, 1863 }}

'''''Leucia''''' is a genus of marine polychaete worms belonging to the family Polynoidae, the scaleworms. ''Leucia'' contains 2 species, both found in the northern Atlantic Ocean. This genus is distinguished from the closely related genus ''Harmothoe'' by having sixteen pairs of elytra, as opposed to fifteen.<ref name=fiege>Fiege, Dieter; Barnich, Ruth. (2009). Polynoidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) associated with cold-water coral reefs of the northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Zoosymposia. 2 : 149–164.</ref>

==Description== Body short, 41 to 50 segments, 16 pairs of elytra. Anterior margin of prostomium with pair of acute anterior peaks. Lateral antennae inserted ventrally (beneath prostomium and median antenna). Antennae, palps, dorsal and ventral cirri papillated. First segment with chaetae. Notochaetae distinctly thicker than neurochaetae. Unidentate and bidentate neurochaetae present.

==Species== The World Register of Marine Species includes the following species in the genus:<ref name=read>{{Cite web| last1 = Read| first1 = Geoffrey B.| last2 = Fauchald| first2 = Kristian| title = The World Polychaeta Database| date = 2020| url = http://www.marinespecies.org/polychaeta/}} </ref>

*''Leucia nivea''<small> (M. Sars, 1863)</small> *''Leucia violacea''<small> (Storm, 1879)</small>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Phyllodocida Category:Polychaete genera