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Cover Legend: Ernst Haeckel: Borstenwürmer (Chaetapoda: polychaeta), Plate 96 from Ernst Haeckel: Art Forms in Nature (Kunstformen der Natur) 1904. Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) was the German scientist who coined the phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" and the terms "Darwinism" and "ecology." Haeckel traveled far and wide, from Sicily to Ceylon, to the North Sea, and beyond. Sketchpads and watercolors accompanied his microscope wherever he went. His on-the-spot drawings of deep-sea vegetation, aquatic creatures, frogs, birds, and higher animals were turned into more than 1000 engravings. From this treasure trove, a selection of 100 colored lithographs was produced for publication in his Kunstformen der Natur. The work is considered one of the marvels of 19th century naturalist illustration. Chaetopoda (current spelling) are a very extensive order of Annelida, characterized by the presence of lateral setae, or spines, on most or all of the segments. They are divided into two principal groups: Oligochaeta, including the earthworms and allied forms, and Polychaeta, including most of the marine species. The figures in this plate illustrate a group of marine worms Chaetopoda Polychaeta. Indeed, the abundance of setae in these polychaetes have led to their colloquial name of bristle-worms or Borstenwürmer. Free-living worms include carnivores, herbivores and scavengers. Some, such as the fireworms, are active carnivores feeding on colonial animals such as marine sponges. Sedentary worms usually feed on microscopic plants and animals or fine particles. Many sedentary worms filter plankton out of the water by a crown of feathery, hair-like tentacles that surround their mouth and give them their common names of "fanworm" or "feather duster" worm of which three examples are shown here. It seems unlikely that these hairs will respond to erythropoietin. From the exhibition "Ernst Haeckel: Art Forms in Nature" at the MBLWHOI library, curated by Ann Weissmann; http://www.mblwhoilibrary.org/haeckel

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