Family AMPHINOMIDAE

Eurythoe complanata

Museums

Museum list

Regional Maps

Family AMPHINOMIDAE

Fire Worms

Compiler and date details

Jan 2011 - P. Hutchings & M. Yerman, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

10 July 2003

Introduction

Amphinomids are generally referred to as fire-worms owing to the pain caused by their needle-sharp, venomous chaetae. They are generally highly coloured shallow-water polychaetes with very distinct colour patterns, but other less colourful forms occur in deeper water. Amphinomids are sluggish carnivores feeding on soft-skinned attached animals, hence, most species occur on hard substrates.

Care should be used in handling amphinomids, especially tropical species which are aptly known as fire worms because of the chaetae which easily break off and become lodged in the skin. These cause a painful irritation and, in some people, an allergic reaction. The chaetae of some tropical amphinomids easily penetrate neoprene gloves.

Members of the family Euphrosinidae have been included with the Amphinomidae by some workers (eg. Day, 1967), however, most authors maintain the separate family designation used in this database.

Figures of ~7 genera and ~22 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters (this database includes 17 species from 7 genera) and 17 genera and ~130 species worldwide.

See Hutchings (2000) for detailed treatment of the family.

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW, and DELTA CD 2003 by RTJ

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape vermiform, or ovate to rounded; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages present; one pair of cirri and single medial papilla.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth; level with or posterior to the first segment. Prostomium triangular to trapezoidal (narrow end posteriorly). Eyes present; two pairs; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae present; include paired anterolateral ones and single medial one; smooth. Palps paired (resemble antennae); unarticulated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs ciliated bands on either side of median caruncle. Peristomial ring absent.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a ventral pharyngeal organ; surface with transverse ridges of thick cuticular lamellae; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with both notochaetae and neurochaetae; anteriorly directed and wrapping around head, or more-or-less laterally directed and free from head. Parapodia biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe. Dorsal cirri more-or-less cirriform. Ventral cirri present, cirriform or tapering. Branchiae present; arise from parapodia (at base); occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; single tuft per parapodium.
Chaetae. Chaetae calcareous, brittle. Notochaetae present. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae). Capillary chaetae hair-like, or with subdistal spur; smooth, or hirsute-serrate; hollow (tubular). Forked chaetae present; furcate type; tines distinctly unequal in length. Spines present in most or all chaetigers; in both notopodia and neuropodia; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth (rarely distally recurved). Hooks absent.
Tube & burrow. Tube absent or unconsolidated. Burrow traces absent.

The above description was generated from: 'C.J. Glasby & K. Fauchald (2002 onwards). POLiKEY. An information system for polychaete families and higher taxa: Version 1: September 2002.'
(See ABRS website: Online Resources: Polikey, for Version 2, released June 2003)