Family PILARGIDAE

Pilargis sp.

© Copyright Chris Glasby, Northern Territory Museum

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Introduction

Pilargidae are typically free-living polychaetes found on the surface of soft sediments. They are widespread but uncommon, though some pilargids seem to be more prevalent in tropical than in temperate environments. Most species of Pilargidae are apparently carnivores or omnivores, but others are probably predators or scavengers. A couple are commensal in the tubes of polychaetes of other families.

Figures of 8 genera and 8 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 12 genera and 50+ species worldwide. About 8 genera and at least 8 species (some of which remain unpublished records) occur in the collections of Australian museums, however, the only published Australian records are of two species of Sigambra, included here.

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

Database Notes

Proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW, and Hutchings & Murray 1984 by RTJ.
Checked against DELTA CD, 2003 by RTJ.

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape vermiform; dorsoventrally flattened, or not dorsoventrally flattened; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Epidermis more-or-less smooth, or papillate, irregularly arranged papillae. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages present; one pair of cirri.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium rounded to oval (anteriorly truncate). Eyes absent, or present; one pair; situated on anterior segments (subdermally). Prostomial antennae absent, or present; paired arising anterolaterally, or include paired anterolateral ones and single medial one; smooth. Palps paired (may be reduced or fused); bi-articulated (weakly); ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring absent.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a muscular axial pharynx; distal ring of papillae absent, or present.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment with tentacular cirri, or a smooth ring (rarely). Tentacular cirri 2 pair(s); arise on a single segment; internal aciculae absent. First chaetiger with neurochaetae only. Parapodia biramous with parapodial lobes absent or low, or biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe. Dorsal cirri more-or-less cirriform. Ventral cirri present, cirriform or tapering. Branchiae absent.
Chaetae. Notochaetae present. Aciculae present; in both dorsal and ventral positions (=noto- and neuroaciculae). Capillary chaetae hair-like, or knife-shaped with pointed or bifid tip; smooth, or hirsute-serrate. Spines absent, or present in most or all chaetigers; in notopodia only; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth, or sharply bent (=geniculate) or curved. 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)

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.

Glasby, C.J. 1993. Family revision and cladistic analysis of the Nereidoidea (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida). Invertebrate Taxonomy 7: 1551-1573

Glasby, C.J. 2000. Family Pilargidae. pp. 148-150 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.

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