''Diurodrilus'' is a genus of tiny marine animals that has traditionally been assigned to the

annelid worms The annelids (Annelida , from Latin ', "little ring"), also known as the segmented worms, are a large phylum, with over 22,000 extant taxon, extant species including ragworms, earthworms, and leeches. The species exist in and have adapted to v ...

, although this

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is not certain. With a maximum length of 0.45 mm, it has an unusual morphology with many traits not found in other annelids, including a ventral creeping foot. Analyses of DNA have both refuted and supported placement within the annelids, with the unusual morphology perhaps due to evolutionary

progenesis Neoteny (), also called juvenilization,Montagu, A. (1989). Growing Young. Bergin & Garvey: CT. is the delaying or slowing of the physiological, or somatic, development of an organism, typically an animal. Neoteny is found in modern humans compare ...

, in which organisms develop sexual maturity while retaining the larval traits of their ancestors. The following species are recognised: * '' Diurodrilus minimus'' Remane, 1925 * '' Diurodrilus ankeli'' Ax, 1967 * '' Diurodrilus benazzii'' Gerlach, 1953 * '' Diurodrilus dohrni'' Gerlach, 1952 * '' Diurodrilus subterraneus'' Remane, 1934 * '' Diurodrilus westheidei'' Kristensen & Niilonen, 1982

References

Annelid genera {{Protostome-stub