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Opheliidae

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Family of annelids

Opheliidae
Euzonus flabelligerus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Infraclass: Scolecida
Family: Opheliidae
Malmgren, 1867 

Opheliidae is a family of small, annelid worms. Some of the genera, like Armandia, Ophelina and Polyophthalmus, have lost their circular muscles. The Opheliidae family of polychaete; marine annelid worms, play an essential role in marine ecosystems as “deposit feeders” that aid in the recycling of nutrients and sediment mixing in muddle and sandy habitats. Due to their distinctive adaptations that include streamlined bodies and specialized muscles they can burrow in various marine environments.

Worms in the Opheliidae family generally show characteristics of having a smooth body, a ventral (front) crease, few flaps on their sides and a pointed head to help them travel through mud and sand. Overall they specialize in burrowing and consuming sediment particles.

Genera

The family consist of the following genera:

References

  1. "Opheliidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. Annelida, by Greg Rouse, Fredrik Pleijel, Ekin Tilic
  3. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2024, October 8). Merriam-Webster.com. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polychaete
  4. Parapar, J., Martínez, A., & Moreira, J. (2021). On the Systematics and Biodiversity of the Opheliidae and Scalibregmatidae. Diversity (Basel), 13(2), 87-. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020087
  5. Law, C. J., Dorgan, K. M., & Rouse, G. W. (2014). Relating divergence in polychaete musculature to different burrowing behaviors: A study using opheliidae (Annelida). Journal of Morphology (1931), 275(5), 548–571. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20237
  6. Parapar, J., Martínez, A., & Moreira, J. (2021). On the Systematics and Biodiversity of the Opheliidae and Scalibregmatidae. Diversity (Basel), 13(2), 87-. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020087
Taxon identifiers
Opheliidae


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