Family OENONIDAE

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Introduction

Oenonids are mostly large worms that burrow in sand and mud, but a number of species are parasitic. They resemble lumbrinerids in appearing earthworm-like, but can be distinguished from them by the presence of a flattened head. Species of Oenonidae are widespread in soft sediments but are less common than lumbrinerids.

The detailed treatment by Paxton (2000) followed the revision of eunicemorph families by Orensanz (1990), who merged the Arabellidae and Lysaretidae with the Oenonidae, and transferred the genus Lysarete to the Lumbrineridae.

Figures of 3 genera and 6 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 14 genera and ~100 species worldwide. The family has not been the subject of detailed study in Australia and the fauna is likely to be much more diverse than is presently known.

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW
Hartman, 1944 and Fauchald, 1970 used for checking by RTJ
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 absent, or present; one pair of cirri, or four cirri.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium bluntly conical to trapezoidal (narrow end anteriorly). Eyes present; one pair, or two pairs; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Prostomial antennae absent, or present; single arising posteriorly, or three arising posteriorly; smooth. Palps absent. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring double, or single.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a ventral pharyngeal organ; without jaws (rarely in parasitic forms), or with multiple jaw elements of different shapes and sizes; comprising ventral mandibles and dorsal maxillae; maxillae 4–5 pairs of toothed plates in parallel rows; maxillae asymmetrical (right maxilla 1 transformed to a base plate; right maxilla 3 lacking), or symmetrical; maxillary carriers longer than combined length of maxillae; dorsolateral ciliated folds present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with both notochaetae and neurochaetae. 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. Lateral organs present (ventral base of dorsal cirrus). Dorsal cirri flattened and foliaceous. Ventral cirri absent (replaced by inflated pads). Branchiae absent.
Chaetae. Notochaetae absent. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae) (dorsal one sometimes absent). Capillary chaetae hair-like; smooth, or spinose. Spines absent. Hooks absent, or present; with a distal hood; occur in many chaetigers but only one ramus (neuropodia).
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)

History of changes