NEREIDIDAE Blainville, 1818
(ragworms)

NEREIDIDAE (ragworms) may be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Taxonomic hierarchy:
FamilyNEREIDIDAE (ragworms)
SuborderNEREIDIFORMIA (a suborder of annelids)
OrderPHYLLODOCIDA (paddle worms, ragworms and sea mice)
SubclassERRANTIA (a subclass of annelids)
ClassPOLYCHAETA (polychaete worms and ragworms)
PhylumANNELIDA (segmented worms and leeches)
SuperphylumLOPHOTROCHOZOA (molluscs and relatives)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for NEREIDIDAE (ragworms)

Identification Works

Handling & MagnificationAuthorYearTitleSource
Chambers, S. & Garwood, P.R. 1992 *** Polychaetes from Scottish waters: a guide to identification Pt 3:Family Nereidae ***(Superseded) 68pp, Royal Scottish Museum Studies

NEREIDIDAE (ragworms) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may be relevant to NEREIDIDAE (ragworms):

BioImagesBioImages (www.bioimages.org.uk) has 125 images of NEREIDIDAE (ragworms)

Identification is based on the arrangement of the eyes, and the microscopic structure of the chaetae. These are best observed in a dead specimen.

In a freshly-killed specimen, the proboscis can be made to extend sufficiently by applying gentle pressure between the fingers or against a glass slide. A second slide on top will hold it in position for photography.

If the specimen has been in alcohol for more than a few minutes, it will be necessary to make an incision and gradually push the proboscis forward from within, or even to dissect it out.

The chaetae require either cutting out a segment or removing a parapodium and mounting on a microscope slide. Take care to keep track of which is the top and bottom of the animal. (The deep groove is ventral).

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