Overview
Phyllodocida is an order of polychaete worms in the subclass Aciculata. 1] These worms are mostly marine though some are found in brackish water. Most are active benthic creatures, moving over the surface or burrowing in sediments, or living in cracks and crevices in bedrock. A few construct tubes in which they live and some are pelagic, swimming through the water column. There are estimated to be about 3,500 species in the order.[2]
Characteristics
Phyllodocida are segmented worms and range in size from a few millimetres long to over a metre. Each segment bears a pair of paddle-like parapodia. The prostomium generally has one or two pairs of eyes, a dorsal pair of antennae, a ventral pair of sensory palps and a pair of organs on the neck. The perist omium is a ring, often hidden dorsally by the prostomium and the first segment. There is a muscular proboscis with one or more pairs of jaws. The next few segments tend to differ from those further back in having enlarged dorsal and ventral cirri (fine appendages) and reduced parapodial lobes and chaetae (bristles). Some species have appendages with specialised functions but most have many segments that are similar to each other but which vary in size and shape along the length of the body without abrupt changes in the chaetae and parapodia from one to the next.[2]
Biology
Worms in this order are generally predators or scavengers.[3]
Phylogenetic relationships
The three main subgroups are Aphroditiformia, Glyceriformia and Nereidiformia . The Aphroditiformia are characterised by the presence of elytrae or scales on alternating segments. The Glyceriformia are characterised by the presence of unique cone-shaped and ringed prostomiums. The Nereidiformia are more problematic, having no universally distinguishing common features. There is agreement on the monophyly of a group including the Hesionidae, Nereididae and Chrysopetalidae families but opinions differ about Pilargidae, and molecular and morphological studies continue.[4][5][6]
Families
Recognised families:[1]
Suborder Aphroditiformia
Suborder Glyceriformia
- Glyceridae
- Goniadidae
- Lacydoniidae
- Paralacydoniidae
Suborder Nereidiformia
- Antonbruuniidae
- Hesionidae
- Nereidae
- Pilargidae
- Syllidae
Suborder Phyllodocida incertae sedis
- Iospilidae
- Nephtyidae
- Sphaerodoridae
- Tomopteridae
- Typhloscolecidae
- Yndolaciidae
Suborder Phyllodociformia
- Alciopidae
- Lopadorhynchidae
- Phyllodocidae
- Pontodoridae
Incertae sedis
- Nautiliniellidae
Biology
Worms in this order are generally predators or scavengers.[3]
Phylogenetic relationships
The three main subgroups are Aphroditiformia, Glyceriformia and Nereidiformia. The Aphroditiformia are characterised by the presence of elytrae or scales on alternating segments. The Glyceriformia are characterised by the presence of unique cone-shaped and ringed prostomiums. The Nereidiformia are more problematic, having no universally distinguishing common features. There is agreement on the monophyly of a group including the Hesionidae, Nereididae and Chrysopetalidae families but opinions differ about Pilargidae, and molecular and morphological studies continue.[4][5][6]
Families
Recognised families:[1]
Suborder Aphroditiformia
Subord er Glyceriformia
- Glyceridae
- Goniadidae
- Lacydoniidae
- Paralacydoniidae
Suborder Nereidiformia
- Antonbruuniidae
- Hesionidae
- Nereidae
- Pilargidae
- Syllidae
Suborder Phyllodocida incertae sedis
- Iospilidae
- Nephtyidae
- Sphaerodoridae
- Tomopteridae
- Typhloscolecidae
- Yndolaciidae
Suborder Phyllodociformia
- Alciopidae
- Lopadorhynchidae
- Phyllodocidae
- Pontodoridae
Incertae sedis
- Nautiliniellidae
References
- ^ a b World Register of Marine Species
- ^ a b Tree of Life Web Project
- ^ Encyclopedia of Life
- ^ Glasby, C.J. 1993. Family revision and cladistic analysis of the Nereidoidea (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida). Invertebr. Taxon. 7:1551-1573.
- ^ Pleijel, F., and Dahlgren, T.G. 1998. Position and delineation of Chrysopetalidae and Hesionidae (Annelida, Polychaeta, Phyllodocida). Cladistics 14:129-150.
- ^ Dahlgren, T.G., Lundberg, J., Pleijel, F., and Sundberg, P. 2000. Morphological and molecular evidence of the phylogeny of Nereidiform polychaetes (Annelida). J. zool. Syst. evol. Res. 38:249-253.
External links
Taxonomy
The Order Phyllodocida is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Suborder (4): Aphroditiformia · Glyceriformia · Nereidiformia · Phyllodociformia
- Family (33): Acoetidae · Alciopidae · Antonbruuniidae · Aphroditidae · Calamyzidae · Chrysopetalidae · Eulepethidae · Glyceridae · Goniadidae · Hesionidae · Ichthyotomidae · Iospilidae · Lacydoniidae · Lopadorrhynchidae · Microphthalmidae · Myzostomidae · Nautiliniellidae · Nephtyidae · Nereidae · Nereididae · Paralacydoniidae · Pholoidae · Phyllodocidae · Pilargidae · Pisionidae · Polynoidae · Pontodoridae · Sigalionidae · Sphaerodoridae · Syllidae · Tomopteridae · Typhloscolecidae · Yndolaciidae
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 2,571 species and subspecies in the Order Phyllodocida.
Families
Acoetidae
Alciopidae
Antonbruuniidae
Aphroditidae
Calamyzidae
Chrysopetalidae
Eulepethidae
Glyceridae
Glyceridae is a family of polychaete worms. They are commonly referred to as beak-thrower worms or bloodworms. They are bright red, segmented, aquatic worms. The proboscis worm Glycera is sometimes called bloodworm. The Glyceridae are ferocious epi- and infaunal polychaetes that prey upon small invertebrates. They are errant burrowers that build galleries of interconnected tubes to aid in catching their prey. [more]
Goniadidae
Hesionidae
Hesionidae are a family of phyllodocid "bristle worms" (class Polychaeta). They are (like almost all polychaetes) marine organisms. Most are found on the continental shelf; Hesiocaeca methanicola[] is found on methane ice, where it feeds on bacterial biofilms. [more]
Ichthyotomidae
Iospilidae
Lacydoniidae
Lopadorrhynchidae
Microphthalmidae
Myzostomidae
Nautiliniellidae
Nephtyidae
Nephtyidae is a taxonomic family of worms. They are commonly referred to as catworms. [more]
Nereidae
Nereididae
Nereididae (formerly spelled Nereidae) are a family of polychaete worms. It contains about 500 ? mostly marine ? species grouped into 42 genera. They may be commonly called ragworms or clam worms. [more]
Paralacydoniidae
Pholoidae
Phyllodocidae
Pilargidae
Pisionidae
Polynoidae
A family of scaled Polychaete worms known as the "scale worms". Short and flat, specimens reach as much as 20 cm in length and 10 cm width. An almost-constant number of small segments is the norm. They are covered by scales, technically termed elytra. They are active hunters, but generally dwell in protected environments such as under stones. [more]
Pontodoridae
Sigalionidae
Sphaerodoridae
Syllidae
Tomopteridae
Typhloscolecidae
Yndolaciidae
More info about the Family Yndolaciidae may be found here.
References
- ^ a b World Register of Marine Species
- ^ a b Tree of Life Web Project
- ^ Encyclopedia of Life
- ^ Glasby, C.J. 1993. Family revision and cladistic analysis of the Nereidoidea (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida). Invertebr. Taxon. 7:1551-1573.
- ^ Pleijel, F., and Dahlgren, T.G. 1998. Position and delineatio n of Chrysopetalidae and Hesionidae (Annelida, Polychaeta, Phyllodocida). Cladistics 14:129-150.
- ^ Dahlgren, T.G., Lundberg, J., Pleijel, F., and Sundberg, P. 2000. Morphological and molecular evidence of the phylogeny of Nereidiform polychaetes (Annelida). J. zool. Syst. evol. Res. 38:249-253.
Sources
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