Marine aquarists setting up there tank with liverock to aid biological filtration will come across these polychaete worms by default as they are normally is attached to liverocks.
The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. Indeed the polychaetes are sometimes referred to as bristle worms. More than 10,000 species are described in this class. Common representatives include the lugworm (Arenicola marina) and the sandworm or clam worm Nereis. With over 10,000 speices of polychaete worms only a few are offered to aquarists, and these are normally fanworms, which have specialized feeding crowns to catch the particles from the water. Many species have been difficult to keep as aquarists do have difficulties in feeding them, but improvements in zooplankton and phytoplankton substitutes and additives have increased the chances ofsuccess.
|
|
Polychaetes have many common other names such as: lugworms, clam worms, bristleworms, fire worms, palolo worms, sea mice, featherduster worms, etc., but all possess an array of bristles on their many leg-like parapodia -- the name polychaete, in fact, means "many bristles". The many common names reflect the wide array of body forms found in this group, unlike the earthworms and leeches which all have the same general appearance.
The delicate beauty of many polychaetes make them a favored subject for photography, and several are named after nymphs and goddesses of Greek myth, such as Nereis (the common "clam worm") and Aphrodite (the "sea mouse").
Loading ...
