IUBio

[Annelida] Worm ID Help

Fauchald, Kristian via annelida%40net.bio.net (by FAUCHALD from si.edu)
Fri Mar 23 08:50:15 EST 2007


I just read Geoff's response, looked at the pictures etc., it certainly
looks like a Ceratonereis, but without worm in hand it is difficult to
identify nereidids from pictures only.  If the worm is still in
existence and fixed, it can be sent off to somebody knowledgeable about
these worms, certainly not me,    

Kristian Fauchald

-----Original Message-----
From: annelida-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu
[mailto:annelida-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu] On Behalf Of Geoff Read
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 10:47 PM
To: annelida from magpie.bio.indiana.edu
Cc: rachdsilva from yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [Annelida] Worm ID Help

Rachel D'Silva wrote:
> I am a MPhil student with my project in Discovery Bay,Jamaica. I have
> found a worm on some of my coral samples. Can anyone help me identify
> it or point me in the right direction? You can view the photos on the
> web link below. 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/rachdsilva/Worm

Rachel, it's Family Nereididae. One can be very wrong with id'ing 
nereids from gross features, but just from the head it might even be 
genus Nereis, although looking at the parapodia the neuropodial branches

look suspiciously better developed than the notopodial. But you need to 
examine for presence and the pattern of paragnaths  (chitinised bars or 
points) on the proboscis - this is essential for nereidids - and also 
look for the presence of any distinctly different (from the rest) 
falcigers (compound chaetae (or might even be simple chaetae (thinking 
Ceratonereis here)) with hooked blade tips)) especially in the parapodia

of posterior segments. If present they will be 1-2 per parapodium.

Geoff
-- 
   Geoff Read <g.read from niwa.co.nz>
    http://www.annelida.net/
    http://www.niwascience.co.nz/ncabb/


_______________________________________________
Annelida mailing list
Post: Annelida from net.bio.net
Help/archive: http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/annelida
Resources: http://www.annelida.net



More information about the Annelida mailing list

Send comments to us at biosci-help [At] net.bio.net