Phylum ANNELIDA: Oligochaeta, Hirudinea
a) remarkably little morphological diversity; mainly detritivores
b) differ from polychaetes in 8 ways: no parapodia; few setae; highly compartmentalized coelom throughout class; small, simple prostomium (no sensory structures); no eversible proboscis; entirely hermaphroditic; gonads in only a few segments; clitellum that secretes cocoon for laying eggs
c) burrow via retrograde peristaltic waves of body-wall muscles
a) share 5 traits with oligochaetes: no parapodia; no prostomial appendages; hermaphroditic; gonads in few segments; clitellum (seasonal)
b) differ from oligochaetes in 5 ways: no setae; coelom not compartmentalized; body dorso-ventrally compressed; anterior and posterior suckers (formed by fusion of segments); constant number of body segments (33 or 34 throughout class)
c) some have eversible proboscis or jaws
d) includes parasitic and free living groups
a) body of two distinct parts: trunk, large flap-like proboscis
b) have one large coelom, coiled gut with terminal mouth & anus
c) linked to annelids by: annelid cross, paired setae in setal sacs
a) live mainly in deep sea; reach large size in vent communities
b) body of three distinct parts: forepart with tentacles, trunk, large segmented opisthoma
c) lack a gut at any stage in life cycle; possess symbiotic bacteria
d) linked to annelids mainly by features of opisthoma (segmented, compartmentalized coelom; setae in setal sacs) but also by spiral cleavage
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Copyright © 1998 by A. Richard Palmer. All rights reserved.(revised March 16, 1997)