CourtneyLower

I absolutely adore this critter. We found 3 of these in about the same location in 1990 and took them home with us. We were actually doing marine biomechanical research on the use of their tentacle and these guys' cute dots were wonderful to help gauge speed. We called them artacama or somethings like that. After doing a lot of research and deciding that we needed a proper taxonomic ID before publishing we sent one guy off to the polychaete taxonomist. Eventually we got the report from the taxonomist and it ended with something like ".... this species keys out to be blah blah blah, however I do not think it is." Welcome to the land of the unknown. Anyways, I would love to know the species name if the guy gets one.
Also FYI we packed our critters in salt water and supplemental oxygen and mailed them to Maine. The arrived before we did, but a lab tech when we returned said something like "Wow, it was amazing to see them swim". Huh? As she described it they reportedly had their tentacles curled in and somehow could synchronize them to swim around. Reportedly this lasted a couple hours and then they went to laying around and building tubes.
Anyways, this is my favorite species whatever it is. Thanks so much for the pics.