Spionida is an order of marine polychaete worms in the infraclass Canalipalpata. Spionids are cosmopolitan and live in soft substrates in the littoral or neritic zones.[1]

Spionida
Magelona johnstoni with long feeding palps.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Infraclass: Canalipalpata
Order: Spionida
Families

Several, see text

Characteristics

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Spionids have a single pair of flexible feeding tentacles with grooves, arising directly from the prostomium. The mouth has no jaws and the pharynx is partly eversible. Some species have small eye spots and some a central sensory lobe. Some of the anterior segments paired gills. The parapodia or lateral lobes have large lamellae. The chaetae are unbranched capillaries, spines and hooks.[1][2]

Families

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According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), the Spionida comprises six families in a single suborder:[3]

Other families such as Aberrantidae and Magelonidae are sometimes included in Spionida.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Annelid Resources
  2. ^ Marine Species Identification Portal
  3. ^ Read, G.; Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2021). "Spionida". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 11 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Magelonidae". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Spionida". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 10 April 2021.