Ladd\'s Student Microscope (circa 1864)


Galleria
License Info
Image Use
Custom Photos
Partners
Site Info
Contact Us
Publications
Home

The Galleries:

Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Pharmaceuticals
Chip Shots
Phytochemicals
DNA Gallery
Microscapes
Vitamins
Amino Acids
Birthstones
Religion Collection
Pesticides
BeerShots
Cocktail Collection
Screen Savers
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Movie Gallery
 

Wim van Egmond

Polychaete Head

Related to the common earthworm, polychaetes are a class of annelids that live in marine environments. More than 5,000 living species have been identified, including the commonly known bloodworms and lugworms.

Polychaete Head

Polychaetes exist in both free-living and tube-dwelling forms, and may vary in size from only a few millimeters long to lengths as great as 10 feet. The segmented worms bear pairs of fleshy appendages called parapodia on most of their segments and the outgrowths are generally equipped with numerous setae, or bristles. Most of the organisms, which often exhibit bright colors, are also outfitted with palps and tentacles on their heads. However, the heads of some sedentary polychaetes may be indistinct, and those tube-dwelling varieties with distinct heads often lack head appendages.

Polychaetes utilize their various appendages for sensing their environments, locomotion, and to aid in food capture. Feeding habits, however, vary widely, and some of the worms may possess large, fluffy crowns of tentacles that ensnare plankton, while others feed on larger organisms through the use of strong jaws and a pharynx. As part of the food web, polychaetes are also a source of food for other animals. Many shorebirds, for instance, are heavily dependent on sedentary varieties as a source of nutrition, and even humans enjoy the consumption of certain species. The tails of paolo worms, which are members of the families Eunicidae and Nereidae, are particularly popular in the South Pacific, where they gather in abundance during breeding season.

BACK TO WIM VAN EGMOND GALLERY

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
Photomicrographs are © 2000-2022 by Wim van Egmond.
All Rights Reserved under copyright law.
© 1995-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:18 PM
Access Count Since September 15, 2003: 17105
Microscopes provided by:
Visit the Nikon website. Visit the Olympus Microscopy Resource Center website.