Links

Higher taxa:  Life   Annelida   Global map IDnature guide: Groups_Annelida IDnature guide Groups Overview Phylogeny Links to Other Sites References

Kinds

Echiura -- Spoon worms, Innkeepers Hirudinea Oligochaeta -- Angleworms, Earthworms, Night crawlers, Oligochaetes Polychaeta -- Paddle-footed annelid, Polychaetes

Overview

Annelids are segmented worms that can be found in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Structurally, annelids are quite advanced despite their simple appearance. They have a closed circulatory system, highly developed internal organs, a complete digestive system and nervous system, and some species even have highly developed eyes. They achieve locomotion by alternating the contraction of circular and longitudinal muscles. These contractions are also responsible for the odd wriggling movements of worms when crossing sidewalks. Annelids range from being filter feeders to predators.

Phylogeny

Tree of Life web project Annelida -- segmented worms Hirudinea -- leeches Acanthobdellidae Erpobdellidae Salifidae Cylicobdellidae Haemadipsidae Haemopidae Semiscolecidae Hirudinidae Glossiphoniidae Ozobranchidae Piscicolidae Oligochaeta -- angleworms, earthworms and their relatives, night crawlers, oligochaetes Bdellodrilidae Branchiobdellidae Cambarincolidae Caridinophilidae Xironodrilidae Haplotaxidae Alluroididae Eudrilidae Glossoscolecidae Lumbricidae Megascolecidae Dorydrilidae Enchytraeidae Naididae Opistocystidae Phreodrilidae Tubificidae Sparganophilidae Lumbriculidae Moniligastridae Clitellata Pogonophora -- beard worms Oligobrachiidae Escarpiidae Lamellibrachiidae Riftiidae Ridgeiidae Tevniidae Lamellisabellidae Polybrachiidae Spirobrachiidae Polychaeta -- paddle-footed annelids, polychaetes Amphinomidae Diurodrilidae Dorvilleidae Eunicidae Euphrosinidae Hartmaniellidae Histriobdellidae Lumbrineridae Oenonidae Onuphidae Acoetidae Alciopidae Aphroditidae Chrysopetalidae Eulepethidae Glyceridae Goniadidae Hesionidae Ichthyotomidae Iospilidae Lacydoniidae Lopadorhynchidae Myzostomidae Nautiliniellidae Nephtyidae Nereididae Paralacydoniidae Pholoidae Phyllodocidae Pilargidae Pisionidae Polynoidae Pontodoridae Sigalionidae Sphaerodoridae Syllidae Tomopteridae Typhloscolecidae Aberrantidae Nerillidae Spintheridae Oweniidae Sabellariidae Sabellidae Serpulidae Siboglinidae Apistobranchidae Chaetopteridae Longosomatidae Magelonidae Poecilochaetidae Spionidae Trochochaetidae Uncispionidae Acrocirridae Alvinellidae Ampharetidae Cirratulidae Ctenodrilidae Fauveliopsidae Flabelligeridae Flotidae Pectinariidae Poeobiidae Sternaspidae Terebellidae Trichobranchidae Polygordiidae Protodrilidae Protodriloididae Saccocirridae Aeolosomatidae Arenicolidae Capitellidae Cossuridae Maldanidae Opheliidae Orbiniidae Paraonidae Parergodrilidae Potamodrilidae Psammodrilidae Questidae Scalibregmatidae

Photographs

Front Worms

Links to other sites

University of California, Berkeley -- Introduction to Annelida. Animal Diversity Web -- Information on Annelida including pictures, specimens, and classification.

References

Animal Diversity Web

Acknowledgements

John Pickering University of Georgia, Athens