Family DORVILLEIDAE

Dorvilleidae

© Copyright Mark Norman, Museum Victoria

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Introduction

Dorvilleids may be free living, symbiotic or parasitic. Species range considerably in size, from minute interstitial forms to species several cm in length. Larger forms have head appendages, well-developed parapodia and are characterised by having a ctenognath jaw apparatus. Smaller forms have lost some, or all, of the head appendages, parapodia and jaws. Most free living dorvilleids are carnivores although some can survive on a herbivorous diet; others appear to be detrivores. Commensal or parasitic species live in the branchial cavities or on the carapace of decapod crustaceans. Dorvilleids are recorded from all depths in the marine environment.

The Dorvilleidae is the only extant family of the Eunicida with ctenognath jaws. It displays a greater diversity in external morphology and jaw structure than any other family in the Eunicida; this may be attributed to the antiquity of the group and the specialisations adopted by most members for a meiofaunal existence.

Phylogenetic analysis of the families Dorvilleidae, Iphitimidae and Dinophilidae led Eibye-Jacobsen & Kristensen (1994) to the conclusion that Dinophilidae and Iphitimidae represent monophyletic and paraphyletic subgroups, respectively, within Dorvilleidae. That view has been followed by subsequent authors and is also followed here

Figures of 8 genera and 14 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 33 genera and ~110 species worldwide. Included in this database are 13 published species from 6 genera. Knowledge of the Australian dorvilleid fauna is largely based on material from subtidal sediments in inshore bays (Port Phillip, Western Port) and the continental shelf of eastern Bass Strait. Also included are a number of species collected from intertidal mud flats in Port Hedland, north-western Western Australia. Many more taxa are expected to be discovered in Australia, especially when interstitial and other specialised habitats are better known.

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

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW
Glasby, 1984 updated by RTJ
checked against DELTA CD 2003 by RTJ

Diagnosis

Three groups are recognised within Dorvilleidae as presently defined:
Dorvilleidae Group 1 includes Dorvillea and Schistomeringos
General features. Body shape vermiform; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages present; four cirri.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium rounded to oval (anteriorly truncate). Eyes absent (in small forms), or present; two pairs; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae present; paired arising posteriorly; smooth, or articulated. Palps paired; unarticulated, or bi-articulated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring double.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a ventral pharyngeal organ; with multiple jaw elements of different shapes and sizes; comprising ventral mandibles and dorsal maxillae; maxillae 2 pairs of toothed plates plus many small free denticles arranged in longitudinal rows; maxillae symmetrical; superior row more than 8 pairs; superior base plates present, fused to each other posteriorly; superior base plates not fused with maxillary carrier; maxillary carriers shorter than combined length of maxillae; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with neurochaetae only. Parapodia uniramous throughout; notopodial lobes absent; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe. Lateral organs present (ventral base of dorsal cirrus). Dorsal cirri more-or-less cirriform (with or without distal article). Ventral cirri present, cirriform or tapering. Branchiae absent.
Chaetae. Notochaetae absent. Aciculae present; in ventral position (=neuroaciculae), or in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae). Capillary chaetae hair-like; smooth, or hirsute-serrate, or spinose. Forked chaetae absent, or present; furcate type; tines more or less equal in length, or tines distinctly unequal in length. Spines absent. Hooks absent. Compound chaetae present; appendage distally tapering to slender tips (=spinigerous), or distally curved (=falcate); appendage not canaliculated; appendage with paired guards on each side of the crest; joint distinctly asymmetrical (=heterogomph); joint effected by ligament(s); shaft tapering slightly or evenly thick from emergence to joint; shaft without distinct core. Compound falcigers present in most or all chaetigers.

Dorvilleidae Group 2 includes Pettiboneia
General features. Body shape vermiform; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages present; four cirri (?).
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium rounded to oval (anteriorly truncate). Eyes absent (in small forms), or present; one pair; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae present; paired arising posteriorly; smooth, or articulated. Palps paired; bi-articulated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring double.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a ventral pharyngeal organ; with multiple jaw elements of different shapes and sizes; comprising ventral mandibles and dorsal maxillae; maxillae 2 pairs of toothed plates plus many small free denticles arranged in longitudinal rows; maxillae symmetrical; superior row more than 8 pairs; superior base plates present, free of each other, or absent; superior base plates fused with maxillary carrier, not K-shaped; maxillary carriers shorter than combined length of maxillae; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with neurochaetae only. Parapodia uniramous throughout; notopodial lobes absent; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe. Dorsal cirri more-or-less cirriform. Ventral cirri present, cirriform or tapering. Branchiae absent, or present; arise from parapodia; occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; digitiform.
Chaetae. Notochaetae absent. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae) (notoaciculae in anterior chaetigers only). Capillary chaetae hair-like; smooth, or hirsute-serrate, or spinose. Forked chaetae absent, or present; furcate type; tines more or less equal in length, or tines distinctly unequal in length. Spines absent. Hooks absent. Compound chaetae present; appendage distally tapering to slender tips (=spinigerous), or distally curved (=falcate); appendage not canaliculated; appendage with paired guards on each side of the crest; joint distinctly asymmetrical (=heterogomph); joint effected by ligament(s); shaft tapering slightly or evenly thick from emergence to joint; shaft without distinct core. Compound falcigers present in most or all chaetigers.

Dorvilleidae Group 3 includes Ophryotrocha, Dinophilus, Iphitime
General features. Body shape vermiform, or grub-shaped; segments few (typically 7 to 14), or numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Body more-or-less transparent, gut visible, or opaque, gut usually not visible. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages absent (rarely), or present; one pair of cirri, or one pair of cirri and single medial papilla.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium rounded to oval (anteriorly truncate). Eyes absent (in small forms), or present; one pair; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae absent, or present; paired arising posteriorly; smooth, or articulated. Palps absent, or paired; unarticulated, or bi-articulated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring double.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a ventral pharyngeal organ; without jaws, or with multiple jaw elements of different shapes and sizes; comprising ventral mandibles and dorsal maxillae; maxillae 2 pairs of toothed plates plus many small free denticles arranged in longitudinal rows; maxillae symmetrical; superior row fewer than 8 pairs; superior base plates present, free of each other, or absent; superior base plates fused with maxillary carrier, K-shaped, or fused with maxillary carrier, not K-shaped; maxillary carriers shorter than combined length of maxillae; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with neurochaetae only. Parapodia absent, or uniramous throughout; notopodial lobes absent; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe, or absent. Dorsal cirri absent, or more-or-less cirriform. Ventral cirri absent, or present, cirriform or tapering. Branchiae absent, or present (only on the decapod commensal genus Iphitime); arise from dorsum; occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; digitiform, or branching.
Chaetae. External chaetae absent (rarely), or present (in neuropodia at least). Notochaetae absent. Aciculae absent, or present; in ventral position (=neuroaciculae). Capillary chaetae absent, or present; hair-like; smooth, or hirsute-serrate, or spinose. Forked chaetae absent, or present; furcate type; tines more or less equal in length, or tines distinctly unequal in length. Spines absent, or present in most or all chaetigers (on commensal forms); in neuropodia only; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth. Hooks absent. Compound chaetae absent, or present; appendage distally tapering to slender tips (=spinigerous), or distally curved (=falcate); appendage not canaliculated; appendage with paired guards on each side of the crest; joint distinctly asymmetrical (=heterogomph); joint effected by ligament(s); shaft tapering slightly or evenly thick from emergence to joint; shaft without distinct core. Compound falcigers present in most or all chaetigers.

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)

General References

Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Glasby, C.J. (eds) 2000. Polychaetes & Allies: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia Vol. 4A Polychaeta, Myzostomida, Pogonophora, Echiura, Sipuncula. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 4 Part A xii 1-465 pp.

Eibye-Jacobsen, D. & Kristensen, R.M. 1994. A new genus and species of Dorvilleidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from Bermuda, with a phylogenetic analysis of Dorvilleidae, Iphitimidae and Dinophilidae. Zoologica Scripta 23: 107-131

Paxton, H. 2000. Family Dorvilleidae. pp. 91-94 in Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Glasby, C.J. (eds). Polychaetes & Allies: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia Vol. 4A Polychaeta, Myzostomida, Pogonophora, Echiura, Sipuncula. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 4 Part A xii 1-465 pp.

History of changes