Polynoidae is a family of marine Polychaete worms known as "scale worms" due to the scale-like elytra on the dorsal surface. Almost 900 species are currently recognised belonging to 9 subfamilies and 167 genera. They are active hunters, but generally dwell in protected environments such as under stones. The group is widely distributed from shallow intertidal waters to hadal trenches. They are the most diverse group of polychaetes in terms of genus number and second most diverse in terms of species number which is almost 8% of all segmented worm species.
Description Most Polynoidae species are short and flattened, but can reach as much as 20 cm in length and 10 cm width in Eulagisca gigantea and Eulagisca uschakovi. Individuals are usually covered almost entirely by elytra, which can be shed and regenerated in many species. The elytra of some species are faintly bioluminescent, and leave glowing traces around the mouthparts of their predators, making those predators more likely to be attacked in turn.
Deep sea The first deep-sea species of Polynoidae was collected at 1230 m during the Challenger Expedition and a number of subfamilies appear to be restricted to the deep sea below 500 m. Species have colonised submarine caves and hydrothermal vents. Deep sea species are characterised by a partial or complete loss of antennae, fewer segments, a reduction in jaws and delicate elytra.
Phylogenetic relationships The Polynoidae has been shown to be monophyletic, however relationships within the family are unclear and hence the number of valid subfamilies has been repeatedly revised in recent years. One of the main deep sea subfamilies, the Macellicephalinae has been consistently recovered as paraphyletic, and it has been proposed that ten Polynoid subfamilies could be synonymized with it to create a homogeneous clade characterised by a lack of lateral antennae. More recently, however, one of the synonymized subfamilies was reinstated.
Genera The following Polynoidae genera are recognised as valid as of June 2020:
Acanthicolepis Acholoe Admetella Adyte Alentia Alentiana Allmaniella Anotochaetonoe Antarctinoe Antinoe Antipathipolyeunoa Arcteobia Arctonoe Arctonoella Augenerilepidonotus Australaugeneria Australonoe Austrolaenilla Austropolaria Barrukia Bathyadmetella Bathybahamas Bathycanadia Bathycatalina Bathyedithia Bathyeliasona Bathyfauvelia Bathyhololepidella Bathykermadeca Bathykurila Bathylevensteina Bathymacella Bathymariana Bathymiranda Bathymoorea Bathynoe Bathynotalia Bathypolaria Bathytasmania Bathyvitiazia Bayerpolynoe Benhamipolynoe Benhamisetosus Branchinotogluma Branchiplicatus Branchipolynoe Bruunilla Brychionoe Bylgides Capitulatinoe Cervilia Chaetacanthus Dilepidonotus Diplaconotum Disconatis Drieschella Drieschiopsis Enipo Eucranta Eulagisca Eunoe Euphione Euphionella Eupolynoe Euphione Frennia Gastrolepidia Gattyana Gaudichaudius Gesiella Gorekia Gorgoniapolynoe Grubeopolynoe Halosydna Halosydnella Halosydnopsis Harmothoe Hartmania Hemilepidia Hermadion Hermadionella Hermenia Hermilepidonotus Hesperonoe Heteralentia Heteropolynoe Hololepida Hololepidella Hylosydna Hyperhalosydna Intoshella Kermadecella Lagisca Lepidametria Lepidasthenia Lepidastheniella Lepidofimbria Lepidogyra Lepidonopsis Lepidonotopodium Lepidonotus Leucia Levensteiniella Lobopelma Macellicephala Macellicephaloides Macelloides Malmgrenia Medioantenna Melaenis Minusculisquama Natopolynoe Neobylgides Neohololepidella Neolagisca Neopolynoe Nonparahalosydna Olgalepidonotus Ophthalmonoe Parabathynoe Paradyte Paragattyana Parahalosydna Parahalosydnopsis Parahololepidella Paralentia Paralepidonotus Paranychia Parapolyeunoa Pararctonoella Pareulagisca Peinaleopolynoe Pelagomacellicephala Perolepis Pettibonesia Phyllantinoe Phyllohartmania Phyllosheila Podarmus Polaruschakov Polyeunoa Polynoe Polynoella Polynoina Pottsiscalisetosus Pseudohalosydna Pseudopolynoe Robertianella Rullieriella Russellhanleya Scalisetosus Sheila Showapolynoe Showascalisetosus Subadyte Telodrieschia Telolepidasthenia Tenonia Thermopolynoe Thormora Tottonpolynoe Uncopolynoe Vampiropolynoe Verrucapelma Yodanoe Ysideria
References
Further information
External links
List of currently accepted Polynoidae species at the World Record of Marine Species An information system for polychaete families and higher taxa (Polikey)