Family STERNASPIDAE
Compiler and date details
Jan 2011 - P. Hutchings & M. Yerman, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
8 August 2003
Introduction
Sternaspids are easily recognised by their short swollen bodies, consisting of a few segments. The posterior segments are fused to form a reddish, ventral sclerotinised plate, which is surrounded by chaetae. Sternaspids occur in soft sediments from shallow waters to the deep sea, but appear to be most commonly encountered at shelf depths. They are deposit feeders and in some habitats may occur in large numbers.
Figures of 1 genus and 1 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 1 genus and 12 species worldwide. A single species, Sternaspis scutata, has been recorded off the South Australian coast but other unidentified sternaspids have been collected occasionally in northern Australian waters.
See Hutchings (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 dumbbell-shaped; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Epidermis papillate, irregularly arranged papillae (size of papillae depends on degree of contraction of specimen). Cuticularised ventral shield present. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages absent.
Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth (retracted into first segments); level with or posterior to the first segment. Prostomium bluntly conical to trapezoidal (narrow end anteriorly). Eyes absent, or present; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Palps absent. Nuchal organs absent, or present; indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring single.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a non-muscular axial proboscis.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger more-or-less laterally directed and free from head, or anteriorly directed and wrapping around head (when prostomium retracted). Parapodia absent and uniramous throughout (posteriorly); notopodial lobes absent; neuropodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe (posteriorly). Dorsal cirri absent. Ventral cirri absent. Branchiae present; arise from dorsum; occur on posterior end, adjacent pygidium; filiform.
Chaetae. Notochaetae absent. Aciculae absent. Capillary chaetae hair-like; smooth, or hirsute-serrate. Spines present only in one or a few anterior chaetigers (pseudocompound); in both notopodia and neuropodia; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth. 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
Dahl, E. 1955. On the morphology and affinities of the annelid genus Sternaspis. Acta Universitatis Lundensis 51: 1-22
Fauchald, K. & Rouse, G. 1997. Polychaete systematics: Past and present. Zoologica Scripta 26: 71-138
Goodrich, E.S. 1945. The study of nephridia and genital ducts since 1895. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science 86: 113-392
Hutchings, P.A. 2000. Family Sternaspidae. pp. 224-226 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.
Vejdovsky, F. 1882. Untersuchungen ueber die Anatomie, Physiologie und Entwicklung von Sternaspis. Denkschriften der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Wien 43: 1-58
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Oct-2023 | 21-Dec-2010 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |