Family GLYCERIDAE

Glyceridae

Museums

Museum list

Regional Maps

Family GLYCERIDAE

Blood Worm

Compiler and date details

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

15 July 2003

Introduction

Glycerids, sometimes called bloodworms, are long-bodied active burrowing worms that live in soft sediments. They are active predators, capturing their prey in their four jaws through rapid extension of the eversible pharynx. In Glycera the jaws are hollow and are used to inject a neurotoxin to immobilise prey. Glycerids do not form permanent tubes but burrow extensively; they are widespread in soft sediments from the intertidal to the deep sea.

Figures of 2 genera and 9 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 3 genera and 42 species worldwide. This database included 2 genera and 12 described species from Australia.

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

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW; subsequent records added from
checked againmst DELTA CD 2003 by RTJ

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape vermiform (highly tapered at ends); segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages present; one pair of cirri.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium conical, tapering to slender tip; anteriorly with four identical small cirriform appendages. Eyes absent. Prostomial antennae absent (though cirriform appendages at tip of prostomium resemble antennae). Palps absent (actually fused to form the ''prostomium''). Nuchal organs present; paired posterolateral ciliated bulbs. Peristomial ring absent.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a muscular axial pharynx; with two pairs of jaws; fang-like, with basal aileron supports; surface with papillae, usually soft, or with terminal fingernail keratine structures; papillae irregularly arranged. distal ring of papillae present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with neurochaetae only, notochaetae absent. Parapodia uniramous throughout, or biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe, or 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 (may be retracted); occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; digitiform, or single tuft per parapodium.
Chaetae. Notochaetae absent, or present. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae) (dorsal one sometimes absent, in uniramous parapodia). Capillary chaetae hair-like; spinose. Spines absent. Hooks absent. Compound chaetae present; appendage distally tapering to slender tips (=spinigerous), or distally curved (=falcate); appendage not canaliculated; appendage without hoods or guards; joint 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 (in Glycerella) or absent.
Tube & burrow. Tube absent or unconsolidated. Burrow traces absent, or comprises interconnected galleries.

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) with subsequent emendments by M. Böggemann (2003 pers. comm.).