Family MAGELONIDAE

Magelonidae

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Family MAGELONIDAE

Compiler and date details

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

24 July 2003

Introduction

Magelonids are common in sandy bottoms, and build only very flimsy tube structures. They are rather distinctive with their flattened, shovel-shaped prostomium (which is often wider than the rest of the body) that is modified to assist in burrowing. The pharynx is eversible and a long pair of prehensile, papillate palps, used to collect detrital particles, arise from the prostomium/peristomium junction.

Figures of 1 genus and 3 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 3 genera and 50+ species worldwide. Until recently, all magelonids were assigned to a single genus, Magelona, but recently 2 additional genera have been described: Meredithia Hernández-Alcántara & Solís-Weiss, 2000 and Octomagelona Aguirrezabalaga, Ceberio & Fiege, 2001.

Magelonids in Australia are generally only found in estuarine samples, and as no extensive work or revision has been done on the family, many specimens are poorly identified. In addition, many specimens are considered to be undescribed species.

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

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW; no subsequent records added
checked against DELTA CD, 2003 by RTJ

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape vermiform; 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 flattened, shovel-shaped. Eyes absent. Palps paired; heavily papillated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs absent. Peristomial ring absent.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut without a distinct ventral or axial organ; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment a smooth ring. First chaetiger with both notochaetae and neurochaetae. Parapodia biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe. Lateral organs present. Dorsal cirri absent. Ventral cirri absent. Branchiae absent.
Chaetae. Notochaetae present. Aciculae absent. Capillary chaetae hair-like; smooth. Spines absent. Hooks present; with a distal hood; occur in many chaetigers in both rami (at least posteriorly).
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)