Are polychaetes poisonous?

Of the many species of worms, the bristleworm is one of the most dangerous. Bristleworms are elongated segmented worms. Each segment contains a pair of bristles. Although bristleworms are not aggressive, they bite when handled, and the bristles can penetrate skin (sting).

What do polychaete worms do?

Each segment bears a pair of paddle-like parapodia, which are used for movement. In many species, the parapodia, well supplied with blood vessels, act as the worm’s primary respiratory surfaces. Bundles of bristles stick out from the parapodia. Some bristle worms have poison bristles.

Why are annelids sometimes called bristle worms?

Polychaete worms are closely related to leeches and earthworms and together make up the Phylum ANNELIDA. Polychaetes are often called bristleworms because each of the body segments has an upper and lower bundle of bristles (called setae or chaetae) on each side.

Are earthworms polychaetes?

The annelids include marine forms called Polychaetes, the earthworms, and the leeches. Polychaetes are the most diverse group of annelids and most live in the marine environment. They differ from earthworms and leeches in that they have appendages called parapodia and do not possess a clitellum.

How are annelids different from earth worms and leeches?

The annelids include marine forms called Polychaetes, the earthworms, and the leeches. Polychaetes are the most diverse group of annelids and most live in the marine environment. They differ from earthworms and leeches in that they have appendages called parapodia and do not possess a clitellum.

How did the polychaete annelid get its name?

The bristles that give the worms their common aquarium name are found attached to the parapodia. The same bristles, called chaetae by scientists, also give the group its scientific name of Polychaetes, which means “many bristles.”

How big can a polychaete annelid worm get?

Polychaete Diversity; It Is A Family Affair. These worms come in almost all shapes and sizes. The smallest are microscopic, so that they may live their entire lives on the surface of a sand grain. The largest may exceed fifty feet in length.

What are the three classes of annelid worms?

Included in this phylum are the leeches, the marine bristle worms, and the earthworms. The annelids are usually divided into three classes: Oligochaete worms, Polychaete worms, and the Hirudinae, or leeches. The mostly marine Polychaete worms are not covered here. The Oligochaete Worms.