Class Polychaeta - Classification of Coelom

There are mainly marine forms with distinct head, having eyes and tentacles, segments have lateral projections of the body wall termed as parapodia which carry bundles of setae. These animals do not have clitellum. Sexes are separating (dioecious). They have no different or permanent sex organs, but their gonads consist of masses of developing gametes arising as swellings of Peritoneum. Eggs generally develop into trochophore larva. Many forms reproduce asexually by budding. ? Most of the polychaetes are 5-10 cm long. They live below rocks and in crevices, or burrow in mud. Some build tubes. Other is pelagic. These animals are generally divided into

(1) Errant forms on the one hand that are freely moving, pelagic, active burrowers, crawlers and the tube worms which leave their tubes for several purposes. On the other hand

(2) The sedentary forms do not leave their tubes or burrows but may generally expose just only their heads outside.

Errant polychaete structure may be considered classic of a generalised polychaete. The prostomium is very well developed, with several sense organs such as eyes, antennae, palps and the nuchal organs. Prostomium is dorsal and preoral projecting over the mouth. The peristomium that is the first segment carries the mouth. The predatory forms have jaws in the mouth. The peristomium is often fused along with one or more subsequent segments forming the head. These segments as well usually carry sensory structures, but their parapodium as well bears bundles of chitinous setae in the setal sacs. Nereis is a typical example. A cross section of its body by one of its middle segments shows well its internal organisation.