Bristle Worms, Active Free-living - Subclass: Errantia
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Of the three subclasses within the Polychaeta the marine subclasses Errantia and Sedentaria are different from each other in whether or not the worm is either vagile (= can swim freely about) or is sessile (= restricted to living in one fixed place, in this case, in a tube).
Arranging taxons by behaviours does not appear to be satisfactory of course, but, various recent studies have indeed supported the idea. Currently the Encyclopedia of Life counts some 6,000 species in 626 genera in 42 families. The Errantia enjoy a worldwide distribution with recent records even existing from both Arctic and Antarctic waters. The Northern Rivers has its' fair share of species with all three orders within the Errantia represented. |
The Errantia are free-swimming or crawling predators that may burrow to protect themselves. Their body segments are all quite similar except for those at either end. Their prostomium - the 'head' - is quite easily distinguished and it contains sensory organs such as palps and antennae. Nuchal organs (= light sensing organs), usually 2 - 4 pairs, can] be found between the prostomium and the first segment. The pharynx (= throat) can be extended outwards thereby freeing the jaws which are used to grab the prey. Compared to their tube-dwelling relatives, the Errantia , on average are smaller. Many do not get bigger than 10 - 15 cm in length and have parapodia protruding from each body segment.
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Order: Amphinomida
Family: Amphinomidae
Subfamily: Amphinominae
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Ampninome sp.
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Eurythoe sp.
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Subfamily: Archinominae
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Bathychloeia sp.
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Chloeia sp. (possible occurrence)
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Notopygus sp.
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Family: Euphrosinidae
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Euphrosine sp.
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Order: Eunicida
Family: Dorvilleidae
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Dorvillea sp. (possible occurrence)
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Ophryotrocha sp. (possible occurrence)
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Schistomeringos sp. (possible occurrence)
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Family: Eunicidae
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Eunice sp.
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Leodice sp.
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Lysidice sp.
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Marphysa sp.
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Nocidion sp.
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Palola sp.
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Family: Lumbrineridae
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Lumbrineris sp.
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Family: Oenonidae
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Arabella sp.
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Drilonereis sp. (possible occurrence)
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Halla sp. (possible occurrence)
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Oenone sp.
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Family: Onuphidae
Subfamily: Hyalinoeciinae
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Hyalinoecia sp.
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Nothria sp.
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Subfamily: Onuphinae
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Australonuphis sp.
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Diopatra sp.
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Hirsutonuphis sp.
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Onuphis sp.
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Order: Phyllodocida
Unplaced family: Nephtyidae
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Aglophamus sp.
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Nephtys sp.
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Unplaced family: Sphaerodoridae
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Sphaerodoropsis sp.
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Suborder: Aphroditiformia
Family: Acoetidae (possible occurrence)
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Genus ?
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Family: Aphroditidae
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Aphrodita sp.
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Laetmonice sp.
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Family: Iophonidae
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Iophone sp.
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Family: Polynoidae
Subfamily: Lepidastheniinae
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Lepidasthenia sp.
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Subfamily: Lepidomotinae
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Lepidonotus sp.
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Thormora sp.
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Subfamily: Macellicephalinae
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Macellicephala sp.
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Subfamily: Polynoinae
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Harmothoe sp.
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Family: Sigalionidae
Unplaced genera
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Sigalion sp.
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Sthenelais sp.
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Subfamily: Pelogiinae
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Pelogenia sp. (likely occurrence)
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Subfamily: Sigalioninae
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Euthalenessa sp.
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Suborder: Glyceriformia
Family: Glyceridae
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Glycera sp.
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Hemipodia sp.
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Family: Goniadidae
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Glycinde sp.
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Goniada sp. (likely occurrence)
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Progoniada sp.
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Suborder: Nereidiformia
Family: Chrysopetalidae
Subfamily: Chrysopetalinae
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Chrysopetalum sp. (possible occurrence)
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Family: Hesionidae
Subfamily: Hesioninae
Tribe: Hesionini
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Hesione sp.
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Leocrates sp.
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Subfamily: Psamathinae
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Micropodarke sp.
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Family: Nereididae
Subfamily: Gymnonereidinae
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Australoneris sp.
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Websterinereis sp.
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Subfamily: Namanereidinae
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Namalycastis sp.
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Subfamily: Nereidinae
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Ceratonereis sp.
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Leonnates sp.
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Neanthes sp.
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Nereis sp.
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Perinereis sp.
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Platynereis sp.
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Pseudonereis sp.
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Simplisetia sp.
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Family: Pilargidae
Subfamily: Pilarginae
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Sigambra sp.
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Family: Syllidae
Subfamily: Eusyllinae
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Eusyllis sp.
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Odontosyllis sp.
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Paraehlersia sp.
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Subfamily: Exogoninae
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Brania sp.
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Erinaceusyllis sp.
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Exogene sp.
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Parasphaerosyllis sp.
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Salvatoria sp.
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Sphaerosyliis sp.
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Subfamily: Syllinae
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Branchiosyllis sp. (possible occurrence)
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Haplosyllis sp.
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Megasyllis sp.
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Syllis sp.
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Trypanosyllis sp.
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Typosyllis sp. (likely occurrence)
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Suborder: Phyllodociformia
Family: Lopadorhynchidae
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Pelagobia sp.
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Family: Phyllodocidae
Subfamily: Eteoninae
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Eteone sp. (possible occurrence)
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Eumida sp.
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Subfamily: Notophyllinae
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Nereiphylla sp.
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Subfamily: Phyllodocinae
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Phyllodoce sp.
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Taxonomy:
Phylum: Annelida (Segmented Worms)
> Class: Polychaeta (Polychaete Worms)
> Subclass: Errantia (Active Free-living Bristleworms)
> Order: Amphinomida
> Family: Amphinomidae
> Subfamily: Amphinominae
> Genus: Amphinome
> Genus: Eurythoe
> Subfamily: Archinominae
> Genus: Bathychloeia
> Genus: Chloeia ^
> Genus: Notopygus
> Family: Euphrosinidae
> Genus: Euphrosine
> Order: Eunicida
> Family: Dorvilleidae
> Genus: Dorvillea ^
> Genus: Ophryotrocha ^
> Genus: Schistomeringos ^
> Family: Eunicidae
> Genus: Eunice
> Genus: Leodice
> Genus: Lysidice
> Genus: Marphysa
> Genus: Nicidion
> Genus: Palola
> Family: Lumbrineridae
> Genus: Lumbrineris
> Family: Oenonidae
> Genus: Arabella
> Genus: Drilonereis ^
> Genus: Halla ^
> Genus: Oenone
> Family: Onuphidae (Beachworms)
> Subfamily: Hyalinoeciinae
> Genus: Hyalinoecia
> Genus: Nothria
> Subfamily: Onuphinae
> Genus: Australonuphis
> Genus: Diopatra (Decorator Worms)
> Genus: Hirsutonuphis
> Genus: Onuphis
> Order: Phyllodocida
> Unplaced Families in the Order: Phyllodocida
> Family: Nephtyidae
> Genus: Aglophamus
> Genus: Nephtys
> Family: Sphaerodoridae
> Genus: Sphaerodoropsis
> Suborder: Aphroditiformia
> Family: Acoetidae ^
> Family: Aphroditidae
> Genus: Aphrodita
> Genus: Laetmonice
> Family: Iophonidae
> Genus: Iophone
> Family: Polynoidae (Scaleworms)
> Subfamily: Lepidastheniinae
> Genus: Lepidasthenia ^
> Subfamily: Lepidomotinae
> Genus: Lepidonotus
> Genus: Thormora
> Subfamily: Macellicephalinae
> Genus: Macellicephala
> Subfamily: Polynoinae
> Genus: Harmothoe
> Family: Sigalionidae
> Unplaced Genera in Family: Sigalonidae
> Genus: Sigalion
> Genus: Sthenelais
> Subfamily: Pelogiinae
> Genus: Pelogenia *
> Subfamily: Sigalioninae
> Genus: Euthalenessa
> Suborder: Glyceriformia
> Family: Glyceridae
> Genus: Glycera
> Genus: Hemipodia
> Family: Goniadidae
> Genus: Glycinde
> Genus: Goniada *
> Genus: Progoniada
> Suborder: Nereidiformia
> Family: Chrysopetalidae
> Subfamily: Chrysopetalinae
> Genus: Chrysopetalum ^
> Family: Hesionidae
> Subfamily: Hesioninae
> Tribe: Hesionini
> Genus: Hesione
> Genus: Leocrates
> Subfamily: Psamathinae
> Genus: Micropodarke
> Family: Nereididae
> Subfamily: Gymnonereidinae
> Genus: Australonereis
> Genus: Websterinereis
> Subfamily: Namanereidinae
> Genus: Namalycastis
> Subfamily: Nereidinae
> Genus: Ceratonereis
> Genus: Leonnates
> Genus: Neanthes
> Genus: Nereis
> Genus: Perinereis
> Genus: Platynereis
> Genus: Pseudonereis
> Genus: Simplisetia
> Family: Pilargidae
> Subfamily: Pilarginae
> Genus: Sigambra
> Family: Syllidae
> Subfamily: Eusyllinae
> Genus: Eusyllis
> Genus: Odontosyllis
> Genus: Paraehlersia
> Subfamily: Exogoninae
> Genus: Brania
> Genus: Erinaceusyllis
> Genus: Exogone
> Genus: Parasphaerosyllis
> Genus: Salvatoria
> Genus: Sphaerosyllis
> Subfamily: Syllinae
> Genus: Branchiosyllis ^
> Genus: Haplosyllis (Spongeworms)
> Genus: Megasyllis
> Genus: Syllis
> Genus: Trypanosyllis
> Genus: Typosyllis *
> Suborder: Phyllodociformia
> Family: Lopadorrhynchidae
> Genus: Pelagobia
> Family: Phyllodocidae (Paddle Worms)
> Subfamily: Eteoninae
> Genus: Eteone ^
> Genus: Eumida
> Subfamily: Notophyllinae
> Genus: Nereiphylla
> Subfamily: Phyllodocinae
> Genus: Phyllodoce
* = likely
^ = possibly
References and links:
> Weigert, A. and Bleidorn, C., (2016). 'Current status of annelid phylogeny.' Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 16. DOI: 10.1007/s13127-016-0265-7.
https://eol.org/pages/39694098
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/59170113
https://microbenotes.com/phylum-annelida/#subclass-1-errantia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuchal_organ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapodium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostomium
> Weigert, A. and Bleidorn, C., (2016). 'Current status of annelid phylogeny.' Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 16. DOI: 10.1007/s13127-016-0265-7.
https://eol.org/pages/39694098
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/59170113
https://microbenotes.com/phylum-annelida/#subclass-1-errantia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuchal_organ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapodium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostomium
Photographic contributions: