General Feature

   Hesionidae are relatively short-bodied, dorsoventrally flattened worms. 

   They are commonly found on hard substrates and in shallow waters.

hesionidae3.jpg (23765 bytes)

Whole segment

Prostomium

   Prostomium is round or cordiform with 2 pairs of eyes.

   It has 2 or 3 antennae and typically a pair of palps. 

   Proboscis is large and muscular with jaws or teeth.

hesionidae2.jpg (35449 bytes)

Prostomium

Segments and tentacular cirri

   The first to four segments are short and usually fused to the prostomium. They have 2-8 pairs of tentacular cirri.

Parapodia and Setae

   Parapodia are either uniramous or biramous. Notopodium is always smaller than neuropodium. 

   The notosetae are simple and neurosetae are compound, usually falcigerous. Some spieces have forked notosetae. 

hesionidae(S)1.jpg (21046 bytes)Parapodia biramous

 

         hesionidae(S)2.jpg (16523 bytes)

Falcigerous setae
　

Amphinomidae Dorvilleidae Eunicidae Glyceridae Goniadidae Hesionidae Lumbrineridae Nephytidae Nereidae Onuphidae Phyllodocidae Pilargiidae Polynoidae Sigalionidae

Developed by: P. L. Chan     Last modified: 4 April,00