Lopadorhynchidae

Description

The Lopadorynchidae comprises two dissimilar groups (see discussion by Fauchald & Rouse 1997); the following description is based on the group which includes only the type genus Lopadorhynchus; variations present in the other group (which includes Maupasia, Pedinosoma and Pelagobia) are given in square brackets. The prostomium has a pair of lateral antennae and a pair of simple ventral palps. The peristomium is reduced to lips. Nuchal organs are present as ciliated pits. A muscular eversible pharynx is present and has terminal papillae; jaws are absent. The prostomium is partly fused to the first one or two segments, which bear two or three pairs of tentacular cirri. Simple hook chaetae are present on the first segment [or are absent]. The anterior parapodia are similar to subsequent ones [or the anterior parapodia are strongly muscularised and enlarged]. The parapodia are biramous, with notopodia shorter than neuropodia. Dorsal and ventral cirri are present throughout; dorsal cirri are long and slender or foliose. Aciculae are present. After the segments with tentacular cirri, chaetae are all composite. One pair of pygidial cirri is usually present, but they may be rudimentary or absent.

The above description is taken from Wilson (2000), which in turn is based on Uschakov (1972) and Fauchald & Rouse (1997).

Identification tips

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