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Syllidae

{{Short description|Family of annelids}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Syllis gracilis.jpg

| image_caption = Syllis gracilis micrograph, showing the distinctive barrel-shaped proventricle

| taxon = Syllidae

| authority = Grube 1850{{cite WoRMS |author=Gil, J. |author2=Musco, L. |year=2015 |title=Syllidae Grube, 1850 |id= 948 |access-date=16 September 2017 |db=polychaeta}}

| synonyms = Levidoridae

}}

File:Syllid_polychaete_undergoing_epitoky.jpg in syllid polychaete]]

Syllidae, commonly known as the necklace worms,{{Cite web |title=Necklace-worms -- KnowBC - the leading source of BC information |url=https://www.knowbc.com/limited/Books/Marine-Life-of-the-Pacific-Northwest/Invertebrates/Worms/Segmented-Worms/Polychaetes/Sensory-Palp-Polychaetes/Necklace-worms |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=www.knowbc.com}} is a family of small to medium-sized polychaete worms. Syllids are distinguished from other polychaetes by the presence of a muscular region of the anterior digestive tract known as the proventricle.{{cite web |title= Syllidae |first=Marcelo V. |last=Fukuda |publisher=Encyclopedia of Life |url=http://www.eol.org/pages/121/ |access-date=16 September 2017}}{{Cite book |last1=Lamb |first1=Andy |title=Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest |last2=Hanby |first2=Bernard P. |publisher=Harbour Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=1-55017-361-8 |location=Canada |pages=133}}

Syllid worms range in size from {{convert|2-3|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} to {{convert|14|cm|in}}. Most syllids are benthic organisms that transition to a pelagic epitoke for reproduction. They are found in all regions of the ocean, from the intertidal zone to the deep sea, and are especially abundant in shallow water.{{cite journal |title=Guide and keys for the identification of Syllidae (Annelida, Phyllodocida) from the British Isles (reported and expected species) |journal=ZooKeys |year=2015 |issue=488 |pages=1–29 |first1=Guillermo |last1=San Martín |first2=Tim M. |last2=Worsfold |pmc=4389122 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.488.9061|pmid=25878521 |doi-access=free }}

They are found in a range of habitats, moving actively on rock and sandy substrates, hiding in crevices and among seaweeds, and climbing on sponges, corals, hydrozoans, seagrasses and mangroves. They are generalist feeders.{{cite book|author1=Sigvaldadottir, Elin|author2=Mackie, Andrew S.Y.|author3= Helgason, Gudmundur V. |author4=Reish, Donald J. |author5=Svavarsson, Jorundur |author6=Steingrimsson, Sigmar A. |author7=Gudmundsson, Gudmundur|title=Advances in Polychaete Research|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RsHxCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA288 |year=2013|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-94-017-0655-1 |pages=288}} A young Syllid was one of the first worms to be found with pollen from seagrass in its stomach, making it a possible pollinator.{{cite journal |last1=van Tussenbroek |first1=Brigitta I. |last2=Villamil |first2=Nora |last3=Márquez-Guzmán |first3=Judith |last4=Wong |first4=Ricardo |last5=Monroy-Velázquez |first5=L. Verónica |last6=Solis-Weiss |first6=Vivianne |title=Experimental evidence of pollination in marine flowers by invertebrate fauna |journal=Nature Communications |date=29 September 2016 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=12980 |doi=10.1038/ncomms12980 |pmid=27680661 |pmc=5056424 |bibcode=2016NatCo...712980V |s2cid=1903911 |language=en |issn=2041-1723|doi-access=free }}

The proventricle, Syllid worm's most distinctive anatomical feature, allows the worm to feed by sucking due to its pumping action. It also plays a role in hormone production, and thus the worm's sexual development. The proventricle is composed of strirated muscle cells with the longest known sacromeres among animals.{{Cite journal |last1=Weidhase |first1=Michael |last2=Beckers |first2=Patrick |last3=Bleidorn |first3=Christoph |last4=Aguado |first4=M. Teresa |date=2016-10-04 |title=On the role of the proventricle region in reproduction and regeneration in Typosyllis antoni (Annelida: Syllidae) |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=196 |doi=10.1186/s12862-016-0770-5 |issn=1471-2148 |pmc=5050598 |pmid=27716025 |doi-access=free }} The proventricle is usually visible through the body wall.{{Cite web |title=Syllidae : Brief Summary |url=https://eol.org/pages/121/articles |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=eol.org |language=en}}

Syllis ramosa was the first polychaete discovered to have a branching body plan.{{cite news |title=Zoologger: the worm that looks like a tree |author=Marshall, Michael |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21535-zoologger-the-worm-that-looks-like-a-tree/ |newspaper=New Scientist |date=2 March 2012 |access-date=28 September 2017}} Later, two species of Ramisyllis were discovered to have a branching body plan.

Subfamilies

References

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Category:Annelid families

Category:Long stubs with short prose

{{Annelid-stub}}