Family EUPHROSINIDAE

Euphrosine sp.

Museums

Museum list

Regional Maps

Family EUPHROSINIDAE

Compiler and date details

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

15 July 2003

Introduction

Euphrosinids are closely related to the Amphinomidae (in the past both have been considered as belonging to a family, the Amphinomidae sensu lato, eg. by Day 1967). However they are here treated as distinct families. Euphrosinids have short, stout bodies, oval in outline with relatively few segments, whereas amphinomids have elongate bodies with numerous segments. The chaetae of euphrosinids are calcareous and sometimes heavily calcified but are not hollow and venom-filled as in amphinomids. Euphrosinids, together with amphinomids, are referred to as fire worms.

Euphrosinids seem to be most commonly distributed in cold shelf to abyssal habitats and polar seas. They lead a cryptic life in sandy, shelly or silty-muddy sediments and most are considered to move faster than amphinomids and are all thought to be carnivorous.

Figures of 1 genus and ~7 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 5 genera and 53+ species worldwide. This database includes 1 genus and 3 described species from Australia.

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

Database Notes

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

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape 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 narrow, keel- or ridge-shaped. Eyes present; two pairs; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae present; include paired anterolateral ones and single medial one; smooth. Palps absent. 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 long dorsal ridges; 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 (along notopodial ridges); occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; several tufts per parapodium.
Chaetae. Chaetae calcareous, brittle. Notochaetae present. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae). Capillary chaetae absent. Forked chaetae present; furcate type, or ringent type; tines distinctly unequal in length. Spines absent. 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)