Chaetophteridae

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Chaetopteridae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Annelida Class: Polychaeta Order: Spionida Family: Chaetophteridae

Chaetopteridae are a family of marine filter feeding Annelids that live in vertical or U-shaped tubes buried in sand. The worms are highly adapted to the hard tube they secrete. Inside the tube the animal is segmented and regionally specialized and bears the paired aliform notopodia used for feeding on segment 12. ^[1]

[edit] Feeding

The Chaetopteridae have several genera with peculiar filter feeding mechanisms. The genera Chaetopterus, Mesochaetopterus, and Spiochaetopterus feed using a thin mucus net suspended across the upper portion of their tube. The mucus net is secreted by a hooplike structure called the aliform notopodia arch. The net can grow at a rate as great as one millimeter per second as water currents generated by the notopodial fans pass plankton through the net. When the net grows large enough it contacts the ciliated cup, which rolls up the net. When the roll becomes large the net is disconnected from the aliform notopodia and is rolled into a ball before the ciliated mid-dorsal groove transports it to the mouth ^[1].

[edit] References