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Protodriloididae
Description
Protodriloidids are slender and flat, measure up to 13 mm in
length and have up to 50 segments. They have a
prostomium with two solid anterior palps (previously referred
to as tentacles) that are direct extensions of the prostomium
rather than implanted as in protodrilids and saccocirrids. The
prostomium has two nuchal organs, but lacks the eyes and socalled
statocysts of protodrilids; the ventral pharynx lacks a
tongue-like organ. The segmented trunk bears a ventral ciliary
band and two pygidial adhesive lobes. Although parapodia are
absent, chaetae may be present in the form of distally dentate
hooks.
The above description is taken from Paxton (2000).
The two species of Protodriloididae were included within the Protodrilidae prior to the recognition of the the new family by Purschke & Jouin (1988).
Identification tips
Recognising the family
The Protodriloididae are perhaps most like the Protodrilidae, but the palps are extensions of the
prostomium (in protodriloids the palps are distinct from the prostomium ).
Distinguishing species
Characters used to distinguish the 2 known species are the presence of absence of chaetae, and adhesive glands arranged segmentally or non segmentally.
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