Order Terebellida
Family Ampharetidae
Features |
| Body: |
tapered; divided into 2 regions |
| Eye: |
may present |
| Prostomium: |
simple or complex
with lateral folds and glandular ridges; 2 - 4 pairs of smooth or pinnate branchiae
present |
| Parapodium: |
biramous parapodia
in anterior region; well-developed neuropodia in posterior region, notopodia reduced or
absent |
| Setea: |
capillary setae in thorax |
| Anal cirri: |
absent or 2 - 4 pairs |
| (Fauchald 1977) |
Biological Notes
The ampharetids are deposit
feeders. The food particles are gathered from the surface of sand or mud by buccal tentacles extruded from the mouth. Their fragile
tubes are contructed of mud or sand grains and attached to sponges, compound ascidians or
the shells of living molluscs. Only a few of them live in shallow water but
they are common in deep water (Day 1967).
The difference between ampharetidae and
terebellidae
The ampharetids resemble the terebellids. The main features used to separate
them are listed below (Fauchald 1977):
| ¡@ |
Ampharetidae |
Terebellidae |
| Behavioral |
withdraw the buccal
tentacles completely within their mouth |
do not withdraw the
buccal tentacles completely |
| No. of Branchiae |
a few pairs of
simple branchiae |
masses of
arborescent branchiae or numerous sessile filaments |
| Shape of Uncini |
usually flattened plates |
always distinctly crested |
Genera and Species Reported in Hong Kong
Ampharete arctica
Amphisamytha sp.
Auchenoplax sp.
Eusamytha dubia
Isolda pulchella
Lysippe sp.
Samytha sp. |
