Fieldtrips and Fieldtrip Classes

Phylum Annelida

Annelid worms have bodies that consist of a series of similar, repeating compartments or segments. These worms are bilaterally symmetrical, and they have organ systems, including a nervous system and a closed circulatory system. Almost all marine annelids are in the Class Polychaeta. Each body segment has a pair of flattened extensions or parapodia that sometimes have sharp bristles (or setae). Polychaete worms have diverse lifestyles that include deposit feeding, carnivory, and scavenging.

Click on the links below to learn more about the different polychaete worms that are found in the intertidal of the Gulf of California. To go back to the Gallery of Marine Life, click here.

To take a practice quiz on the Phylum Annelida, click here.

Green Sandflat Worm

Fire Worm

Feather Duster Worm

Diopatra