Species of Oenonidae are widespread in soft sediments but
are less common than the superficially similar euniceans
belonging to the family Lumbrineridae. A species of
Arabella is common intertidally in areas of mixed rocks
and sediment on exposed coasts around southern Australia.
Diversity
This treatment follows the revision of eunicemorph families
by Orensanz (1990) which merged the Arabellidae with the Oenonidae, and transferred the genus Lysarete to the Lumbrineridae. The families Lysaretidae and Arabellidae are therefore no longer recognised. Twelve genera of oenonids are recognised: the 11 genera recognised by Orensanz (1990) plus Pholadiphila Dean (1992). The family comprises about 100 species world wide. The Australian fauna comprises 6 species in 3 genera), but the family has not been the subject of detailed study in Australia and the fauna is likely to be much more diverse than is presently known.
The interactive key documents the species of Oenonidae known from southeastern Australian, based on material from subtidal
sediments in inshore bays (Port Phillip, Western Port) and the
continental shelf of eastern Bass Strait. Also included is
a species collected from intertidal mud flats in Port Hedland,
northwestern Western Australia. Other regions are not well studied.
