Category: Annelida

Belongs within: Annelida.Contains: Pogonophora, Serpulidae, Sabellidae. The Sabellida are a group of marine annelids characterised by fusion of the peristomium to the prostomium, together with the usual presence of numerous head appendages such as feeding tentacles. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have indicated that this group includes the Pogonophora, beard worms, whose derived morphology had previously lead… Continue reading Sabellida

Belongs within: Aciculata. The Amphinomida are a group of mobile polychaete worms characterised by the presence of well-developed gills behind the notopodia. Euphrosinidae are short, stout, oval-bodied species whereas Amphinomidae are more elongate. <==Amphinomida [Amphinomorpha]RP07 |–EuphrosineR68 [EuphrosinidaeRP07] | |–E. aurantiacaR68 | |–E. bicirrataR68 | |–E. branchiata Treadwell 1939H56 | `–E. longisetis Treadwell 1939H56 `–AmphinomidaePTV14 |… Continue reading Amphinomida

Belongs within: Phyllodocida.Contains: Polynoidae. The Aphroditiformia, scale worms, are marine worms characterised by the presence of dorsal cirri modified into elytra or scales on alternating segments. They include the Aphroditidae, sea mice, in which the dorsum of the relatively short body is also covered in iridescent chaetae. The Acoetidae possess spinning glands on the notopodia… Continue reading Aphroditiformia

Belongs within: Annelida.Contains: Ampharetidae, Pectinariidae, Terebellidae. The Terebelliformia are a group of marine annelids characterised by the possession of multiple grooved palps. Members include the Alvinellidae, thermophilic worms found around hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean. <==Terebelliformia [Terebellomorpha] |–+–AmpharetidaePE16 | `–+–TrichobranchidaeSS07 | | |–TerebellidesSS07 | | | |–T. stroemi Sars 1835SS07 | | | `–T.… Continue reading Terebelliformia

Belongs within: Clitellata.Contains: Phreodrilus, Enchytraeidae, Branchiobdellida, Hirudinea, Trichodrilus, Phallodrilinae. The Tubificida are a group of small, mostly aquatic oligochaetes that include many of the best-known freshwater worms. Male pores are placed anterior to the female pores (Jamieson 1988). Phylogenetic studies indicate that the parasitic Hirudinomorpha are derived within the tubificidans. Some members of the Tubificidae… Continue reading Tubificida

Belongs within: Annelida.Contains: Dinophilidae, Tubificida, Haplotaxidae, Opisthopora. The Clitellata are a group of annelid worms characterised by the absence of parapodia and the presence of a clitellum, a distinct collar near the anterior end of the body that secretes a cocoon into which ova are deposited during reproduction. Clitellates have traditionally been divided between the… Continue reading Clitellata

Belongs within: Clitellata. The Haplotaxidae are a family of oligochaete worms found primarily in subterranean waters. <==Haplotaxidae [Haplotaxina, Phreoryctidae] |–Metataxis Righi 1985R85 | |–*M. eliae Righi 1985R85 | |–M. americanus (Cernosvitov 1939)R85 | |–M. brinkhursti (Cook 1975)R85 | `–M. falcifer (Omodeo 1958)R85 `–Haplotaxis Hoffmeister 1843JD86 [incl. PelodrilusJ88] |–*H. gordioides (Hartmann 1821)J88, RP07 |–‘Pelodrilus’ africanusM07 |–H. brinkhursti… Continue reading Haplotaxidae

Belongs within: Tubificida. The Enchytraeidae are a group of small, mostly pale-coloured oligochaetes, including both aquatic and terrestrial species. Peptonephridia (salivary glands) are present in the genera Hemienchytraeus, Enchylea, Fridericia and Enchytraeus. These glands are unpaired in Hemienchytraeus but paired in other genera (Dash 1990). Characters (Dash 1990): Length <10–50 mm; colour usually pale white or grey. Setae… Continue reading Enchytraeidae

Belongs within: Megascolecidae. The Argilophilini are a North American assemblage of earthworms with a strong gizzard and tubular nephridia. Most genera are holonephric, with a single pair of nephridia per segment, but Driloleirus is meronephric, with multiple pairs of nephridia per segment (Fender & McKey-Fender 1990). Characters (Fender & McKey-Fender 1990): Circular in cross section. Setae in eight regular rows.… Continue reading Argilophilini