This is a list of the Annelida recorded from Ireland.
In Ireland, the number of species is: Class Polychaeta: 404 species Class Clitellata Subclass Oligochaeta: 179 species Subclass Hirudinea: 32 species T. K. McCarthy, T.K., 1975 Observations on the Distribution of the Freshwater Leeches (Hirudinea) of Ireland Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section B: Biological, Geological, and Chemical Science Vol. 75 (1975), pp. 401-451
Here, the leeches and oligochaetes are placed together in the Class Clitellata. The marine Polychaeta are ranked as a Class. These groups (and the Annelida) may be monophyletic, paraphyletic, or polyphyletic. (Rouse and Pleijel, 2001).
Order Phyllodocida
Family Chrysopetalidae 2 species
Family Pisionidae First segment projects forward of the head. Pisione.
1 species
Family Aphroditidae "Felt"-covered scale worms. Aphrodita, Laetmonice, Palmyra (Palmyridae)
4 species including Aphrodita aculeata (sea mouse)
Family Polynoidae
29 species including Alentia gelatinosa Gattyana cirrhosa Lepidonotus squamatus
Family Pholoidae Minute scale worms. Dorsal scales ringed. Pholoe, Pholoides
4 species
Family Sigalionidae Scale worms (with dorsal scales) and compound neurosetae. Sigalion, Psammolyce, Sthenelais.
8 species including Sigalion mathildae
Family Phyllodocidae Active predators with leaf-like dorsal cirri, notopodia otherwise reduced. Phyllodoce, Eumida Eteone and many others.
38 species including Eulalia viridis Eteone foliosa Eteone longa Eumida sanguinea Hesionura elongata Phyllodoce lineata Phyllodoce maculata Phyllodoce rosea
Family Chaetopteridae 1 species Chaetopterus variopedatus
Family Lacydoniidae A small obscure family, perhaps with hesionid affinities. Short body and proboscis unarmed. Lacydonia.
1 species
Family Alciopidae Slender pelagic forms with giant eyes. Vanadis, Alciopa.
3 species
Family Lopadorrhynchidae Short pelagic forms. Lopadorrhynchus.
5 species
Family Typhloscolecidae Transparent pelagic group with tapering bodies and foliaceous segmental cirri. Sagitella, Typhloscolex, Travisiopsis.
2 species
Family Tomopteridae Flattened pelagic forms with long cirri on segment-two. Tomopteris
2 species
Family Glyceridae Cylindrical forms with a conical prostomium and four jaws. Glycera, Hemipodus.
1 species Glycera alba
Family Goniadidae Similar to Glyceridae with the anterior parapodia uniramous, multiple jaw- pieces, and chevron structures on the proboscis. Goniada, Glycinde.
3 species
Family Sphaerodoridae Dorsal rows of spherical tubercles. Sphaerodorum.
4 species
Family Hesionidae 10 species
Family Pilargidae 1 species
Family Syllidae 38 species including Haplosyllis spongicola (sponge worm) Sphaerosyllis levantina Syllis prolifera
Family Nereididae 10 species including Alitta succinea (cinder worm) Alitta virens (sandworm) Hediste diversicolor (ragworm) Platynereis dumerilii Eunereis longissima
Family Nephtyidae
11 species including Nephtys cirrosa
Order Amphinomida
Family Amphinomidae 3 species
Family Euphrosinidae
Order Spintherida
Family Spintheridae
1 species
Order Eunicida
Family Onuphidae
1 species
Family Eunicidae 8 species
Family Lumbrineridae A Eunicida group lacking notopodia and with reduced or absent dorsal head appendages. Lumbrineris, Ninoe, Lysarete.
5 species
Family Oenonidae Similar to Lumbrineridae with long maxillary carriers. Arabella, Drilonereis, Oenone.
3 species
Family Dorvilleidae A Eunicida group with multiple jaw elements. Dorvillea, Ophryotrocha
6 species including Protodorvillea kefersteini
Order Orbiniida
Family Orbiniidae
3 species
Family Paraonidae Resembling Spionidae (but unrelated). With or without a single antenna, with gills, and without palps. Paraonis, Aricidea.
13 species
Order Spionida
Family Apistobranchidae 1 species
Family Poecilochaetidae Fragile forms with stiff parapodial lobes and multiple simple setal types. Poecilochaetus.
1 species
Family Spionidae 31 species including Aonides paucibranchiata Scolelepis bonnieri Scolelepis squamata Spiophanes bombyx
Family Magelonidae Small forms with a shovel-like head and papillose palp pair. Magelona.
5 species
Family Cirratulidae 12 species including Cirratulus cirratus
Order Cossurida
Family Cossuridae Slender forms with a single median palp on dorsal side of one anterior setiger.
1 species
Order Terebellida
Family Flabelligeridae Papillated body and cross-barred setae. Flabelligera, Diplocirrus, Brada.
4 species including Diplocirrus glaucus Diplocirrus incognitus
Family Acrocirridae 1 species
Order Capitellida
Family Capitellidae 9 species including Heteromastus filiformis
Family Arenicolidae 3 species including Arenicola marina (blow lungworm)
Family Maldanidae Bamboo worms. Long and cylindrical and truncate at one or both ends. Most with long, cylindrical segments with a pair of nuchal slits and a median cephalic keel. Maldane, Axiothella, Rhodine, Nicomache.
10 species
Order Opheliida
Family Opheliidae 9 species including Ophelina acuminata Thoracophelia flabellifera Ophelia limacina
Family Scalibregmatidae Maggot-like or anteriorly inflated group with a small T-shaped prostomium. Scalibregma, Hyboscolex.
4 species including Scalibregma inflatum
Order Nerillida
Family Nerillidae 1 species Nerilla antennata
Order Polygordiida
Family Polygordiidae Elongate nematode-like forms without setae, and with a stiff frontal tentacle pair. Polygordius.
2 species
Order Protodrilida
Family Protodrilidae Minute forms without setae and with a flexible tentacle pair (near-frontal, but separated). They live in spaces between sediment grains. Protodrilus.
1 species
Order Polychaeta incertae sedis
Family Dinophilidae Dinophilus taeniatus
Family Saccocirridae
1 species
Order Oweniida
Family Oweniidae
2 species
Order Terebellida
Family Pectinariidae
3 species
Family Sabellariidae
3 species, including Sabellaria alveolata (honeycomb worm) Sabellaria spinulosa (Ross worm) Sabella spallanzanii (feather duster worm)
Family Ampharetidae Forms with no posterior notosetae and usually with simple, transversely-arranged gills. Ampharete, Melinna
5 species including Ampharete acutifrons
Family Trichobranchidae Resemble Terebellidae but have long-handled hooks. Terebellides.
2 species
Family Terebellidae
23 species, including Lanice conchilega Thelepus cincinnatus Lagis koreni (trumpet worm)
Order Sabellida
Family Sabellidae
19 species including Sabella pavonina (peacock worm)
Family Serpulidae 8 species, including Janua pagenstecheri Ficopomatus enigmaticus (Australian tubeworm) Serpula vermicularis (red tubeworm) Spirobranchus triqueter Spirobranchus lamarckii
Family Spirorbidae Small asymmetric fan worms with coiled calcareous tubes cemented to algae and rock. Spirorbis.
8 species, including Spirorbis spirorbis (sinistral spiral tubeworm)
Order Myzostomida
Family Myzostomatidae
1 species
Class Aphanoneura
Family Aeolosomatidae Aeolosoma hemprichi Aeolosoma variegatum
Class Clitellata
Subclass Oligochaeta
Order Opisthopora
Family Acanthodrilidae
1 species
Family Octochaetidae
1 species
Family Lumbricidae
26 species Blakemore, R.J. 2005. British and Irish earthworms – A checklist of species updated from Sims & Gerard pdf . Allolobophora chlorotica (green worm) Allolobophoridella eiseni Aporrectodea caliginosa (grey worm) Aporrectodea cupulifera Aporrectodea icterica Aporrectodea limicola Aporrectodea longa Aporrectodea rosea (rosy-tipped worm) Dendrobaena attemsi Dendrobaena hortensis (European nightcrawler) Dendrobaena octaedra Dendrobaena veneta Dendrodrilus rubidus (red wiggler) Dendrodrilus subrubicundus Eisenia fetida (brandling worm) Eisenia parva Eiseniella tetraedra Helodrilus oculatus Lumbricus castaneus Lumbricus festivus (Quebec worm) Lumbricus friendi Lumbricus rubellus (red earthworm) Lumbricus terrestris (common earthworm) Murchieona minuscula Octolasion cyaneum Octolasion lacteum Satchellius mammalis
Order Enchytraeida
Family Enchytraeidae
96 species
Order Tubificida
Family Naididae
50 species
Order Lumbriculida
Family Lumbriculidae 5 species
Class Clitellata
Subclass Hirudinea
Order Arhynchobdellida
Family Erpobdellidae 5 species
Family Hirudinidae 1 species Hirudo medicinalis (European medicinal leech)
Order Rhynchobdellida
Family Glossiphoniidae
7 species
Family Ozobranchidae
2 species
Family Piscicolidae
17 species
References
Fauna Europaea McIntosh, William Carmichael A monograph of the British marine annelids. London, The Ray society,1873/1900-1922/23.online Bellan, G. (2001) Polychaeta in Costello, M.J. (2001).European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. P. J. Hayward and J. S. Ryland Eds., 1999 The Marine Fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe Oxford University Press Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E.(eds) 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas.Ulster Museum and The Marine Conservation Society, Belfast and Ross-on-Wye. Fauvel P., 1923. Polychètes errantes. Faune de France n° 5 488 p., 181 fig.PDF (25 Mo) (Identification) Fauvel P., 1927. Polychètes sédentaires. Faune de France n° 16 494 p., 152 fig.PDF (25 Mo) (Identification) World Register of Marine Species Searchable for Irish list
External links Bernard E. Picton and Christine C. Morrow Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland MarLIN Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland. Roche C., Clarke S. & O’Connor B. (2005) Inventory of Irish marine wildlife publications. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 16. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland. Marine species identification portal Barnich, R Scale worms in British and Irish waters