| Hesionidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oxydromus pugettensis | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Subclass: | Errantia |
| Order: | Phyllodocida |
| Suborder: | Nereidiformia |
| Family: | Hesionidae Grube, 1850 |
| Subfamilies | |
Hesioninae | |
Hesionidae are afamily ofphyllodocid "Bristle worms" (classPolychaeta). They are (like almost all polychaetes)marine organisms. Most are found on thecontinental shelf;Hesiocaeca methanicola is found onmethane ice, where it feeds onbacterialbiofilms.[1]
A characteristicapomorphy of the Hesionidae are thecirrophores of theanteriorsegments, which are well-developed cup-like sheaths; thecirri of the subsequent segments insert into theparapodia directly, or with just a vestigial cirrophore.[2]
Asphyllodocids, the Hesionidae belong to theorderAciculata, one of the three mainclades of polychaetes. They appear to be part of thebasal radiation of the main lineage of phyllodocids, alongside such families as theragworms (Nereididae), thePilargidae andSphaerodoridae which are closely related to each other, the very ancientSyllidae, and perhaps the more advancedcatworms (Nephtyidae). [3]
Numerous genera are still treated as Hesionidaeincertae sedis, not reliably assignable to either of the three generally recognized hesionidsubfamilies:[4]
Authority control databases: National |
|---|
