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Polygordiidae
Description
Polygordiids are slender and thread-like, reaching up to
100 mm in length and 1 mm in width for 185 segments. The prostomium has two
solid, stiff anterior palps (previously referred to as tentacles)
and two pigmented eyes may be present. External
segmentation is indistinct or absent and the external surface is
smooth and slightly iridescent. External ciliation is present
only in nuchal slits, sometimes on tentacles, or rarely as
scattered ciliary tufts. Parapodia are absent and chaetae are
either absent (in Polygordius) or present as capillaries in the
posterior part of the body (in Chaetogordius). The bulbous
pygidium bears a circle of adhesive glands; anal cirri may be
present or absent.
The above description is taken from Paxton (2000).
Identification tips
Recognising the family
The Polygordiidae is a family of small interstitial
worms that are rather like elongate nematodes. They have weak
segmentation (or none), lack parapodia and the prostomium bears one pair of somewhat rigid palps.
Distinguishing species
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