Family SABELLARIIDAE

Sabellariidae

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Family SABELLARIIDAE

Sand-mason Worm, Honeycomb Worm

Compiler and date details

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

1 August 2003

Introduction

Sabellariids, whether solitary or colonial in reefs, are suspension-feeders that employ buccal cirri and prostomial tentacles to create water currents that trap suspended particles in mucus. They may also be detrital feeders.

Sabellariids, or sand-mason worms, live in a sandy tube cemented onto rocky substrata; some species form extensive reefs (not known from Australia). Sabellariids have short compact bodies divided into distinct sections. The head end consists of an operculum with numerous golden paleae that surround the mouth and buccal cirri, and that almost fill the entrance to the tube.

Figures of 1 genus and 18 species were given by Beesley et al. (2000: App. 1) for representation of the family in Australian waters, and 12 genera and 165+ species worldwide. The Australian fauna, revised by Hutchings & Peart (in prep.), comprise 4 genera and 9 species. However, as 6 of these species are new and as yet unpublished, this database only includes 3 species from 2 genera.

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

Database Notes

proof read against Day & Hutchings 1979 by RW
records of Wilson's various papers added
checked against DELTA CD, 2003 by RTJ
Hutchings & Peart (in prep) species not added

Diagnosis

General features. Body shape arenicoliform; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation present, comprising distinct thorax and abdomen; regions demarcated by inversion of parapodia. Pre-pygidial region as anal tube. Pygidium simple ring or cone. Pygidial appendages absent.
Head & head structures. Head bearing many tentacles (=oral filaments) around mouth. Operculum present. Prostomium anteriorly without deep incisions, cirri or palpodes, or with a palpode. Eyes absent, or present; situated on prostomium; without lenses. Oral filaments present (not grooved); arise outside on membrane above mouth. Palps paired; longitudinally grooved; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches. Peristomial ring absent.
Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut a non-muscular axial proboscis, or without a distinct ventral or axial organ.
Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous (though highly modified forming an operculum). First chaetiger anteriorly directed and wrapping around head; chaetae projecting obliquely, distinctly thicker and more shiny than subsequent ones (=paleae). Parapodia biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes represented by at least one chaetal lobe, or low lateral ridges (tori) (posteriorly); neuropodial lobes low ridges (tori), or represented by at least one chaetal lobe (posteriorly). Dorsal cirri absent. Ventral cirri absent. Branchiae present; arise from dorsum; occur on at least some chaetigerous segments (limited region); digitiform.
Chaetae. Notochaetae present. Aciculae absent. Capillary chaetae hair-like, or broadly expanded distally, symmetrical; smooth. Spines present in most or all chaetigers; in notopodia only; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth. Hooks absent. Uncini present; with teeth in vertical series, teeth usually similar-sized (=pectinate); arranged in one or two rows.
Tube & burrow. Tube cemented sand, reef forming.

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)