Phylum Annelida

Annelida – Segmented Worms

• Annelida: “annulus” = ring, annual

• Body divided into repeating segements:

– Metamerism: each segment contains
body systems
(excretory, circulatory,
nervous, digestive)
 I. General Annelida Characteristics
• Terrestrial, marine, and
freshwater
• Repeating segments
• Triploblastic
• True coelomates –
complete gut
• Closed circulatory
system
• Well developed nervous
system
• Respiratory organs
• One or more pairs of
setae
II. Evolution of Annelida
• Ancestral Traits
Spirobranchus giganteus
– Coelomate
Christmas tree worm
– Protostome - opening
becomes mouth
– Closed circulatory system
– Cephalization – concentration
of sense organs
• Derived Traits
– Segmentation
• Septa
– Setae
• Bristles
– Myelinated Neurons

~ 40K species of annelids

III. Body Systems

• Integument - epidermis is one cell layer

with mucous gland that secrete a moist
cuticle.

• Skeletal - hydrostatic (using coelom)

• Muscle - longitudinal and circular

muscles
Each segment muscles are independent of
the other segments.

• Digestive- complete, complex, with

absorption and digestive glands and
excretory cells.
Circulatory System:
• Closed System – blood always in closed vessel

• 5 pairs of aortic arches (hearts)

• Ventral & dorsal blood vessels/capillaries

• hemoglobin
Nervous System:

• Pair of cephalic ganglia (bundle of nerves)

• Ventral nerve cord with ganglia in each segment
Muscular System:
• Longitudinal muscles Allows for better movement (can
• Circular muscles thrash, inch, raise head, etc.)
 Epithelium

Circular muscle

Longitudinal muscle
Digestive System: • Crop = “stomach”;
stores food
• Gizzard = grinds food
• Intestine = nutrient
absorption
• Anus
 Excretory System:
• A pair of nephridia per segment

• Includes:
– Nephridia
– Bladder
– Excretory pore
Reproductive System:
• Reproductive –

– Hermaphrodites

– Trochophore larvae

– Dioecious in Polychaeta; no special organs, posterior end becomes

gonads.
– Monoecious in Oligochaeta and Hirudinea; Clitellium.
 Trochophore Larva:
• Trochophore larva – paddlelike; bristles
Apical tuft

Stomach

Ciliary band

Mouth

Anus
1
5
Annelid development
IV. Classes
A. Class Polychaeta (many bristles) Hermodice
– most numerous # species crunculata
– marine
Class Polychaeta

• Highly specialized head

regions
– Antennae
– Sensory palps
– Feeding appendages Bispira bunnea
• Paired extensions of body sabellid worm
(parapodia)
• Often tube-dwelling
– Burrow into substrate and secrete mucus/CO3 materials
Polychaete Anatomy
Polychaeta
Amphitrite
Polychaeta

Lugworm (Arenicola sp)

Polychaeta
Polychaeta
Giant tube worms (Vestimentifera)

trophosome

Riftia pachyptila
Polychaete Reproduction
• Dioecious
• Trochophore larvae

• Some species develop specialized

segments containing gametes
– Epitokes
– Segments are released and
gametes burst out
IV. Classes

B. Class Clitellata
1. Subclass Oligochaeta (few bristles)
• Freshwater, marine & terrestrial

Lumbricus terrestris
 Class Oligochaeta

• Defining characteristics
– Cylindrical glandular region
of the body = clitellum
• Second largest class in the
phylum Annelida
• Most spp. are earthworms,
very few are marine
Class Oligochaeta
Oligochaete Reproduction
Oligochaete Development
• For terrestrial oligochaetes, development is
direct without any larval forms

• Some aquatic oligochaetes retain a

trochophore - like larval stage
Earthworms
• Digestive Structures:
– Crop: temporary storage sac after
mouth
– Gizzard: sac with muscular walls to
grind soil
– Intestine: stretches length of body to
aid in digestion of soil
– Anus: wastes are removed

• Other Structures:
• Setae: bristles used for movement
(ventral side)
• Clittelum: enlarged segment;
secretes mucus & contains
reproductive parts
Annelid Taxomony
B. Class Clitellata
2. Subclass Hirudinea
• Fixed # segments (34)
• Setae absent

Hirudo
medicinalis
 Class Hirudinea
• Defining characteristics
– Posterior sucker
– Anterior sucker
– No setae
– hermaphrodites
• Predominately freshwater, but do
occur in all seas and moist soil
• Leeches do not burrow or crawl,
lack parapods and setae
• Dorsoventrally compressed (flat)
• Feed on invertebrates, body fluids,
32blood Phylum Annelida
Subclass Hirudinea
Leech Anatomy

• Anterior sucker is small

and contains the mouth
– Anterior sucker
creates a wound with
saw like jaws
• Leeches drink other
animals’ blood, usually
vertebrates

34 Phylum Annelida
Blood Sucker
• The salivary glands excrete hirudin which prevents the
blood from clotting
• Leeches were commonly used in the 19th century for
bloodletting
– Recent medical uses are to relieve pressure after vascular
tissue is damaged

35 Phylum Annelida
 Leeches
o Parasitic segmented worm
o Most live in fresh water
o Have no bristles for movement
o move with muscular
contractions
o Suckers used for attachment to
host
o Some have suckers on tail also
o http://arkive.org/medicinal-
leech/hirudo-
medicinalis/video-00.html
o Secrete anesthetic during bite and
release anticoagulant into blood
during feeding (to keep blood
flowing)

o Leeches were used in medical

procedures years ago to “bleed”
the sick
o remove “bad blood”
o now they are used in cosmetic
surgery, digit and limb
reattachment, and blood removal
from bruises
o https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=jerqq06uxAo
 Checkpoint

1. List key adaptations that all Annelids

share.
2. What are the three classes of annelids?
Explain traits and examples of each
class.
3. Which class contains decomposers?
4. Which class is used medicinally for digit
or limb reattachment?___________
Earthworm Return to taxonomy

Dissection

Cross section