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  1. Polychaete
    PolychaeteParaphyletic group of annelids
    OverviewTaxonomyCharacteristicsFactsHabitatDietLarvaePredators
     
  2. Wikipedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Polychaete

    Polychaete - Wikipedia

    • Polychaeta is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (/ˈpɒlɪˌkiːts/). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. More than 10,000 species are described in this class. Common representatives include the l… See more

    Description

    Polychaetes are segmented worms, generally less than 10 cm (4 in) in length, although ranging at the extremes … See more

    Ecology

    Polychaetes are predominantly marine, but many species also live in freshwater, and a few in terrestrial environments. They are extremely variable in both form and lifestyle, and include a few taxa that swim among the … See more

    DomainEukaryota
    KingdomAnimalia
    PhylumAnnelida
    ClassPolychaeta
    Bristle Worms: The Most Diverse Marine Worms
    Bristle Worms: The Most Diverse Marine Worms
    Meet the Bizarre Bristle Worms
    Meet the Bizarre Bristle Worms
    What is the biggest polychaete?
    The biggest polychaete is ten feet long Most polychaetes are small animals, but not the bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois). Reaching lengths of ten feet, this polychaete worm is taller than your average human by a long shot. If that isn’t terrifying enough, the bobbit worm is a stealth predator.
    smithsonianmag.com
    Notable polychaetes

    • One notable polychaete, the Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana), is endemic to the hydrothermal vents of the Pacific Ocean. Pompeii worms are among the most heat-tolerant complex animals known.
    • A recently discovered … See more

    Reproduction

    Most polychaetes have separate sexes, rather than being hermaphroditic. The most primitive species have a pair of gonads in every segment, but most species exhibit some degree of specialisation. The gonads shed immat… See more

    Fossil record

    Stem-group polychaete fossils are known from the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte, a rich, sedimentary deposit in Greenland tentatively dated to the late Atdabanian (early Cambrian). The oldest found is Phragmoch… See more

    External links

    • World Polychaeta Database
    • Special issue of Marine Ecology dedicated to polychaetes
    • Marine Polychaete Larva, a guide to the marine zooplankton of south eastern Australia… See more

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    Table of Contents
    Description
    Ecology
    Quick Facts
    What is the biggest polychaete?
    Notable polychaetes
    Reproduction
    Fossil record
     
  1. Britannica
    https://www.britannica.com › animal › pol…

    Polychaete | Marine, Segmented, Worms | Britannica

    Polychaetes, which include rag worms, lugworms, bloodworms, sea mice, and others, are marine worms notable for well-defined segmentation of the body. …

    • Images of Marine Polychaete

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    • Smithsonian Magazine
      https://www.smithsonianmag.com › science-nature

      14 Fun Facts About Marine Bristle Worms | Smithsonian

    • WoRMS
      https://www.marinespecies.org › polychaeta

      The World Polychaeta Database - World Register of …

      1 day ago · Polychaetes are multi-segmented worms living in all environments in the world's oceans, present from abyssal depths to shallow estuaries and rocky shores, and even free swimming in open water. They are strictly aquatic …

    • yourlegasea.com
      https://www.yourlegasea.com › posts › a-gui…

      A Guide to Marine Worms - LegaSea Ecology

      Feb 20, 2023 · Phylum Annelida comprises three separate classes of worms: Polychaeta (marine worms), Oligochaeta (earthworms), and Hirudinea (leeches); marine worms (polychaete), in particular, have developed remarkable …

    • People also ask
      What is a polychaete worm?
      polychaete, any worm of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida). About 8,000 living species are known. Polychaetes, which include rag worms, lugworms, bloodworms, sea mice, and others, are marine worms notable for well-defined segmentation of the body.

      Polychaete | Marine, Segmented, Worms | Britannica

      britannica.com
      Where are polychaetes found?
      Polychaetes are mainly found in the marine environment, from shallow waters down to the depths of deep-sea trenches. Currently over 13 000 polychaete species have been scientifically described worldwide and thousands more await discovery and description. Polychaetes are a diverse and abundant group of worms.

      Segmented worms - The Polychaetes - Australian Museum

      australian.museum
      What is the biggest polychaete?
      The biggest polychaete is ten feet long Most polychaetes are small animals, but not the bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois). Reaching lengths of ten feet, this polychaete worm is taller than your average human by a long shot. If that isn’t terrifying enough, the bobbit worm is a stealth predator.

      14 Fun Facts About Marine Bristle Worms | Smithsonian

      smithsonianmag.com
      Are polychaetes a landlubber?
      Unbeknownst to most landlubbers, polychaetes rule the seas. There are at least 10,000 species of these swimming bristly worms, some of which pop with brilliant colors or light up with a bioluminescent glow.

      14 Fun Facts About Marine Bristle Worms | Smithsonian

      smithsonianmag.com
      What is the body structure of a polychaete?
      Body Structure: Polychaetes have elongated, cylindrical bodies that are segmented. The number of segments can vary greatly among species, ranging from a few to several hundred. Each segment typically has a pair of fleshy, paddle-like appendages called parapodia, which bear numerous bristles known as setae.

      Worms (Marine) - MarineBio Conservation Society

      marinebio.org
      What are some examples of polychaetes?
      Common representatives include the lugworm (Arenicola marina) and the sandworm or clam worm Alitta. Polychaetes as a class are robust and widespread, with species that live in the coldest ocean temperatures of the abyssal plain, to forms which tolerate the extremely high temperatures near hydrothermal vents.

      Polychaete - Wikipedia

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    • thedailyeco.com
      https://www.thedailyeco.com

      What Are Polychaetes? - Examples, Habitats, and …

      Dec 2, 2024 · Polychaetes are marine worms found in all parts of the ocean. From species smaller than a rice grain to ones stretching over three meters, these bristle worms show how life adapts to different marine conditions.

    • MarineBio Conservation Society
      https://www.marinebio.org › creatures › ma…

      Worms (Marine) - MarineBio Conservation Society

      Polychaetes: Polychaetes are the most common and diverse group of marine worms. They have numerous bristle-like structures called setae on each body segment, which they use for movement and burrowing. Some polychaetes live …

    • Wikipedia
      https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Amphitrite_ornata

      Amphitrite ornata - Wikipedia

    • WoRMS
      https://www.marinespecies.org › aphia.php

      Polychaeta - WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species

      Deep-water benthic polychaetous annelids off New England to Bermuda and other North Atlantic Areas. Part II. Allan Hancock Monographs in Marine Biology. 6: 1-327., available online at http://hdl.handle.net/10088/3458 [details] …

    • The Australian Museum
      https://australian.museum › learn › animals …

      Segmented worms - The Polychaetes - Australian …

      Polychaetes are a diverse and abundant group of segmented worms. They are commonly known as bristle worms because of their characteristic hairs called 'chaetae'. Polychaetes are mainly found in the marine environment, from …