Characteristics of Annelida

ANNELIDA
The Phylum Annelida

Etymology:- From the Latin Annellus a little ring.
Characteristics of Annelida:1)Bilaterally symmetrical and vermiform.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity is a true coelom, often divided by internal septa.
4)Body possesses a through gut with mouth and anus.
5)Body possesses 3 separate sections, a prosomium, a trunk and a
pygidium.
6)Has a nervous system with an anterior nerve ring, ganglia and a
ventral nerve chord.
7)Has a true closed circulatory system.
8)Has no true respiratory organs.
9)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic or hermaphoditic.
10)Feed a wide range of material.
11)Live in most environments.
Welcome to the Amazing World of

Annelids.
The Annelida are a medium sized
phylum of more than 9,000 species of
worms. Most species prefer aquatic
environments, but there are also a
number of well know terrestrial
species. Only a few species of
annelids are commonly known to
human beings, these include the
delightful Rain, Dew or Earthworms
that work so hard to make our soils
healthy, the Ragworms and
Lugworms used by marine fishermen
and the much smaller Tubifex or Red
worms used by aquarists to feed their
fish. In many countries people are still
familiar with Medicinal leeches, and
people who live closer to nature are
naturally more familiar with a much
wider range of Annelids than those
CLASSIFICATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
POLYCHAETA
OLIGOCHAETA
ARCHINELLIDA
HIRUDINEA
REPRODUCTION IN
ANNELIDA
REPRODUCTION ASEXUAL OR
SEXUAL
ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION IS BY
FRAGMENTATION,BUDDING,OR
FISSION
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IS
HERMAPHRODRITES WHICH IS
COMMON BUT SOME SPECIES HAVE
SEPARATE SEXES
CLASSIFICATION WITH
EXAMPLES
The class Polychaeta (Poly = many, Chaeta = bristle) are the most diverse and most speciose group of the Annelida containing over
5,500 species. They are predominantly marine animals and are divided ecologically into the Errantia and the Sedentaria depending on
whether or not they live sedentary lives in holes or live more active lives. We now know that this is not a taxonomically valid classification
but it is useful as it divides the class in two in terms of the number of families each group contains. The Errantia have well developed
heads and complex parapodia (paddles)that they can use for swimming. They are often dorsoventrally flattened.
Most polychaetes are gonochoristic (meaning they are either male or female), however some are sequential hermaphrodites (meaning
they are one sex first and then change to being the other sex). Reproduction is often accompanied by the production of special modified
reproductive segments which may, or may not, become independent of the parent worm before mating. These segments are destroyed or
die during or immediately after they have released their gametes (sperm and ova).
The class Aelosomata contains about 25 species of small to minute worms with many chaetae. They live in the interstitial zone of both
fresh and brackish water environments. They are hermaphrodites with each animal possessing one ovary and two testis. They are little
known to science and their classification is disputed with some authors considering them to be part of the Oligochaeta.
The class Clitellata contains three distinct groups.
The subclass Oligochaeta (Oligo = few, Chaeta = bristle) are the second most numerous group of annelids with around 3,100 species.
Oligochaeta live in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Generally they have a more rounded cross-section, a less distinct head and
are less diverse in form than the Polychaetes. They are normally hermaphrodites, and possess a clitellum as adults, an organ which looks
like a bandage of skin wrapped around the animal. This clitellum, from which the whole group takes its name has an important function in
sexual reproduction, otherwise reproduction may asexual by fission. A few species are parasitic but most species are free living.
Cirrodrilus Pierantoni, 1905 Without setae; with posterior sucker; pharynx with dorsal and ventral chitinous jaws; commensal on crayfish.
With two pairs of testes in segments 5 and 6. Body with appendages. Appendages in the form of pointed bands encircling the dorsal
surface of the body The subclass Branchiobdella contains 147 species of small (about 1 cm long) aquatic whitish animals that are
either commensals or parasites on Crayfish. They are mostly found in the northern hemisphere. Different species attach to their hosts at
different places on the body, thus Branchiobdella parastica attaches to the under side of the abdomen while Branchiobdella astaci
attaches to its hosts gills. Branchiobdella hexodonta and B. astaci are known to be parasitic feeding off host tissue but B. parasitica is
thought by some authorities to be a commensal.
A Checklist of Branchiobdella Species
The subclass Hirundinea contains the 500 or so species of animals commonly known as leeches. Leaches are well known for their
blood sucking habits and their head to tail looping mode of locomotion. Except for the primitive Acanthobdella peledina leeches have no
chaetae and 33 body segments. they have two suckers which in most cases are located one at the anterior (head) end of the body
composed of segments 1-4 and the other at the posterior (tail) end composed of segments 25-33. Like the Oligochaeta from which they
are believed to have evolved the Hirundinea occur in Fresh water, marine and terrestrial environments

Characteristics of Annelida

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ANNELIDA

The Phylum Annelida

Welcome to the Amazing World of

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