Arenicolidae
Arenicolidae
Family of annelids
Arenicolidae is a family of marine polychaete worms. They are commonly known as lugworms and the little coils of sand they produce are commonly seen on the beach. Arenicolids are found worldwide, mostly living in burrows in sandy substrates. Most are detritivores but some graze on algae.[1]
| Arenicolidae | |
|---|---|
| Cast and depression caused by buried Arenicola marina. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Clade: | Maldanomorpha |
| Family: | Arenicolidae Johnston 1835 |
| Type genus | |
| Arenicola Lamarck, 1801 | |
| Genera | |
| |
The arenicolids are characterised by an elongated cylindrical body separated into two or three distinct regions. The prostomium has no appendages or palps. There are one or two anterior segments without setae. On the other segments, all the setae are unbranched, including the capillary setae and the rostrate uncini. The notopodia are bluntly truncate and the neuropodia are elongated tori forming long transverse welts in some of the setigers. The notosetae have either a capillary function or act as limbs and the neurosetae are rostrate hooks. There are branchiae present on some of the setigers in the middle or posterior regions.[2] Apart from the genus Branchiomaldane, the lugworms are not easy to confuse with other polychaetes. Their tough cuticle and their distinct branchial region with strongly tufted branchiae are characteristic.
The family Arenicolidae contains 4 genera and 24 species.[3]
- Abarenicola Wells 1959 – 11 species
- Arenicola Lamarck 1801 – 7 species
- Arenicolides Mesnil 1898 – 2 species
- Branchiomaldane Langerhans 1881 – 4 species
There are also three uncertain genera.[4]
- Clymenides
- Eruca
- Protocapitella
Fossil traces indicate that the group has existed since at least the Late Jurassic.[5]
- Fauchald, K. 1977. The polychaete worms, definitions and keys to the orders, families and genera. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Los Angeles, CA (USA) Science Series 28:1-188
- Purschke G, Böggemann M, Schmidt-Rhaesa A, Westheide W, eds. (2021). Handbook of Zoology: Annelida. Vol. 3: Pleistoannelida, Sedentaria III and Errantia I. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 9783110291483.
- Mángano, M. Gabriela; Buatois, Luis A.; Piñuela, Laura; Volkenborn, Nils; Rodríguez-Tovar, Francisco J.; García-Ramos, José C. (2024-01-06). "Jurassic paleosurfaces with fecal mounds reveal the last supper of arenicolid worms". Scientific Reports. 14 (1): 709. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-51103-2. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10771522.