Order Spionida
Family Cirratulidae
Features |
| Body: |
cyclindrical and slender; series of long, slender branchial filaments and tentacular and dorsal
cirri along the body |
| Prostomium: |
conical or blunt; no appendage |
| Peristomium: |
fused with at least 2 segments |
| Eye: |
absent |
| Antennae: |
absent |
| Cirri: |
absent |
| Palp: |
2 |
| Pharynx: |
non-eversible |
| Parapodium: |
biramous or reduced |
| Setea: |
simple |
| (Fauchald 1977) |
Biological Notes
Cirratulids
are deposit feeders. The food particles are gathered from the sea bottom by a
single pair of grooved palps or numerous grooved tentacular filaments arising from the
first few setigerous segments. They are sluggish worms. Their bodies
are buried just below the surface of the sea bottom. Only the long gills and
tentacular filaments which are usually bright red or orange are above the surface
(Day 1967).
Genera and Species Reported in Hong Kong
Aphelochaeta filibranchia
Caulleriella sp.
Chaetozone flagellifera
Chaetozone maotienae
Chaetozone setosa
Cirratulus sp.
Cirriformia tentaculata |
