Hesionidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hesionidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oxydromus pugettensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Subclass: | Errantia |
| Order: | Phyllodocida |
| Suborder: | Nereidiformia |
| Family: | Hesionidae Grube, 1850 |
| Subfamilies | |
|
Hesioninae | |
Hesionidae are a family of phyllodocid bristle worms (class Polychaeta). They are (like almost all polychaetes) marine organisms. Most are found on the continental shelf; Hesiocaeca methanicola is found on methane ice, where it feeds on bacterial biofilms.[1]
A characteristic apomorphy of the Hesionidae are the cirrophores of the anterior segments, which are well-developed cup-like sheaths; the cirri of the subsequent segments insert into the parapodia directly, or with just a vestigial cirrophore.[2]
