Specimen image via iDigBio · CC0
Glyceridae
Sign in to saveGlyceridae is a family of polychaete worms. They are commonly referred to as beak-thrower worms or bloodworms. They are bright red, segmented, aquatic worms. The proboscis worm Glycera is sometimes called bloodworm. The Glyceridae are epi- and infaunal polychaetes that prey upon small invertebrates. They are errant burrowers that build galleries of interconnected tubes to aid in catching their prey.
Species
bloodworms
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumAnnelida
- ClassPolychaeta
- OrderPhyllodocida
- FamilyGlyceridae
via GBIF
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 4,114
- With media
- 309
- Family
- Glyceridae
- Collections
- SIO, CAS, USNM, AUM
- Recorded in
- United States, Philippines, French Polynesia, Antarctica, Panama
~1 min read
Encyclopedic overview
2 sectionsContents
- Characteristics
- References
Glyceridae is a family of polychaete worms. They are commonly referred to as beak-thrower worms or bloodworms. They are bright red, segmented, aquatic worms. The proboscis worm Glycera is sometimes called bloodworm. The Glyceridae are epi- and infaunal polychaetes that prey upon small invertebrates. They are errant burrowers that build galleries of interconnected tubes to aid in catching their prey.
==Characteristics== Pointy snout used for burrowing in sediment No septa in anterior part of bodies Rely on peristalsis to move Explosively evert pharynx into sediment, anchor position with prostomium and pull body forward. Eversible pharynx also used in prey capture: 4 poisonous fangs
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Glyceridae” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.