Familia Opheliidae

Malmgren, 1867

Description:
Small worms having three distinct body-shapes: short and maggot-like, slender and torpedo-shaped, or with an anterior region appreciably broader than the posterior. There are relatively few segments, which are often bi- or triannulate. A deep ventral gutter often present. Epidermis is sometimes strongly rugose. Prostomium is conical, without antennae or palps. Mouth is a transverse slit at the level of the first chaetiger. Chaetae are all simple, hair-like bristles and parapodia are ill-developed, biramous, without aciculae. Tentacular, dorsal and ventral cirri absent. Gills are fingerlike or paddle-shaped. Pygidium with multiple cirri. Pharynx is eversible, unarmed.
(Opheliidae).
Common on sandy beaches.

After: Fauchald and Rouse, 1997 and Hayward and Ryland, 1990.

The following taxa of this family occur in the region:

Genus Euzonus
Genus Ophelia
Subfamily Opheliinae
Genus Ophelina
Subfamily Ophelininae
Genus Travisia
Subfamily Travisiinae
Euzonus flabelligerus
Ophelia limacina
Ophelia rathkei
Ophelina abranchiata
Ophelina acuminata
Ophelina cylindricaudata
Ophelina minima
Ophelina modesta
Ophelina norvegica
Travisia forbesii

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