Syllidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of small to medium-sized polychaete worms. Syllids are distinguished from other polychaetes by the presence of a muscular region of the anterior digestive tract known as the ''proventricle''. Syllid worms range in size from to . Most syllids are

benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

organisms that transition to a

pelagic The pelagic zone consists of the water column of the open ocean, and can be further divided into regions by depth (as illustrated on the right). The word ''pelagic'' is derived . The pelagic zone can be thought of as an imaginary cylinder or wa ...

epitoke for reproduction. They are found in all regions of the ocean, from the

intertidal zone The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...

to the deep sea, and are especially abundant in shallow water. They are found in a range of habitats, moving actively on rock and sandy substrates, hiding in crevices and among seaweeds, and climbing on sponges, corals, hydrozoans, seagrasses and mangroves. They are generalist feeders. A young Syllid was one of the first worms to be found with pollen from seagrass in its stomach, making it a possible pollinator. ''

Syllis ramosa ''Syllis ramosa'' is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. It is found in the deep sea where it lives within the tissues of a sponge. It was the first branching polychaete worm to be discovered, with each worm having a single head ...

'' was the first polychaete discovered to have a branching body plan. Later, two species of

Ramisyllis ''Ramisyllis'' is a small genus of polychaete annelid marine worms. Both species are characterised by their branching body plans. Both species are found in shallow water, with ''R. multicaudata'' native to Darwin Harbour, Australia, and ''R. kin ...

were discovered to have a branching body plan.

Subfamilies

* Anoplosyllinae * Autolytinae * Eusyllinae * Exogoninae * Syllinae ** '' Syllis'' ***''

Syllis aciculigrossa ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (San Martín, 1990) *** ''

Syllis adamantea ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (Treadwell, 1914) *** '' Syllis albae'' Álvarez-Campos & Verdes, 2017 *** '' Syllis albanyensis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1984) *** '' Syllis alosae'' San Martín, 1992 *** '' Syllis alternata'' Moore, 1908 *** ''

Syllis amica ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Quatrefages, 1866 *** '' Syllis amicarmillaris'' Simon, San Martín & Robinson, 2014 *** ''

Syllis anoculata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1962) *** ''

Syllis antoniae ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Salcedo Oropeza, San Martín & Solís-Weiss, 2012 *** ''

Syllis armillaris ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (O.F. Müller, 1776) *** ''

Syllis augeneri ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Haswell, 1920 *** ''

Syllis barbata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' San Martín, 1992 *** '' Syllis bella'' Chamberlin, 1919 *** '' Syllis beneliahuae'' (Campoy & Alquézar, 1982) *** '' Syllis benguellana'' Day, 1963 *** ''

Syllis boggemanni ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' San Martín, Álvarez-Campos & Hutchings, 2017 *** ''

Syllis botosaneanui ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1973) *** ''

Syllis brasiliensis ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' McIntosh, 1885 *** ''

Syllis breviarticulata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Grube, 1857 *** ''

Syllis brevicirrata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' McIntosh, 1908 *** ''

Syllis brevicirris ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Hansen, 1882 *** ''

Syllis broomensis ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1979) *** ''

Syllis caeca ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Monro, 1933 *** ''

Syllis castroviejoi ''Syllis castroviejoi'' is a species of polychaete from the family Syllidae Syllidae is a family of small to medium-sized polychaete worms. Syllids are distinguished from other polychaetes by the presence of a muscular region of the anterior d ...

'' Capa, San Martín & López, 2001 *** ''

Syllis cerina ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Grube, 1878 *** '' Syllis cirrita'' Lee & Rho, 1994 *** '' Syllis columbretensis'' (Campoy, 1982) *** '' Syllis compacta'' Gravier, 1900 *** '' Syllis corallicola'' Verrill, 1900 *** '' Syllis cornuta'' Rathke, 1843 *** '' Syllis crassicirrata'' (Treadwell, 1925) *** '' Syllis cruzi'' Núñez & San Martín, 1991 *** '' Syllis curticirris'' Monro, 1937 *** '' Syllis danieli'' San Martín, 1992 *** '' Syllis deleoni'' Salcedo Oropeza, San Martín & Solís-Weiss, 2012 *** '' Syllis edensis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1989) *** '' Syllis elongata'' (Johnson, 1901) *** '' Syllis ergeni'' Çinar, 2005 *** '' Syllis erikae'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1981) *** '' Syllis fasciata'' Malmgren, 1867 *** '' Syllis ferrani'' Alós & San Martín, 1987 *** '' Syllis filidentata'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1962) *** '' Syllis garciai'' (Campoy, 1982) *** '' Syllis gerlachi'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960) *** '' Syllis gerundensis'' (Alós & Campoy, 1981) *** ''

Syllis glandulata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Nogueira & San Martín, 2002 *** '' Syllis glarearia'' (Westheide, 1974) *** '' Syllis golfonovensis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1962) *** '' Syllis gracilis'' Grube, 1840 *** '' Syllis guidae'' Nogueira & Yunda-Guarin, 2008 *** '' Syllis heterochaeta'' Moore, 1909 *** '' Syllis hyalina'' Grube, 1863 *** '' Syllis hyllebergi'' (Licher, 1999) *** ''

Syllis joaoi ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' San Martín, Álvarez-Campos & Hutchings, 2017 *** '' Syllis jorgei'' San Martín & López, 2000 *** '' Syllis kabilica'' Ben-Eliahu, 1977 *** '' Syllis karlae'' San Martín, Álvarez-Campos & Hutchings, 2017 *** '' Syllis kas'' Lucas, Sikorski & San Martín, 2018 *** '' Syllis komodoensis'' Aguado, San Martín & ten Hove, 2008 *** '' Syllis krohnii'' Ehlers, 1864 *** '' Syllis lagunae'' Tovar-Hernández, Hernández-Alcántara & Solís-Weiss, 2008 *** '' Syllis latifrons'' Grube, 1857 *** '' Syllis licheri'' Ravara, San Martín & Moreira, 2004 *** '' Syllis limbata'' Grube, 1880 *** ''

Syllis longesegmentata ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Grube, 1857 *** '' Syllis lunaris'' (Imajima, 1966) *** '' Syllis lutea'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960) *** '' Syllis luteoides'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1962) *** '' Syllis macroceras'' Grube, 1857 *** '' Syllis macrodentata'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1982) *** '' Syllis magdalena'' Wesenberg-Lund, 1962 *** '' Syllis magnapalpa'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1965) *** '' Syllis marceloi'' San Martín, Álvarez-Campos & Hutchings, 2017 *** '' Syllis marugani'' Aguado, San Martín & Nishi, 2006 *** '' Syllis maryae'' San Martín, 1992 *** '' Syllis mauretanica'' (Licher, 1999) *** '' Syllis mayeri'' Musco & Giangrande, 2005 *** ''

Syllis mercedesae ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Lucas, San Martín & Parapar, 2012 *** '' Syllis mexicana'' (Rioja, 1960) *** '' Syllis microoculata'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1965) *** '' Syllis monilaris'' Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 *** '' Syllis mytilorum'' Studer, 1889 *** '' Syllis nigra'' Augener, 1925 *** ''

Syllis nigrescens ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Grube, 1878 *** '' Syllis nigricirris'' Grube, 1863 *** '' Syllis nigriscens'' Grube, 1878 *** '' Syllis nigropunctata'' Haswell, 1886 *** '' Syllis notocera'' Ehlers, 1905 *** '' Syllis nuchalis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960) *** '' Syllis obscura'' Grube, 1857 *** '' Syllis onkylochaeta'' Hartmann-Schröder, 1991 *** '' Syllis ortizi'' San Martín, 1992 *** '' Syllis parapari'' San Martín & López, 2000 *** '' Syllis parturiens'' Haswell, 1920 *** '' Syllis pectinans'' Haswell, 1920 *** '' Syllis picta'' (Kinberg, 1866) *** '' Syllis pigmentata'' (Chamberlin, 1919) *** '' Syllis pilosa'' Aguado, San Martín & Nishi, 2008 *** '' Syllis pontxioi'' San Martín & López, 2000 *** '' Syllis profunda'' Cognetti, 1955 *** '' Syllis prolifera'' Krohn, 1852 *** '' Syllis prolixa'' Ehlers, 1901 *** '' Syllis pseudoarmillaris'' Nogueira & San Martín, 2002 *** '' Syllis pulvinata'' (Langerhans, 1881) *** '' Syllis quadrifasciata'' Fischli, 1900 *** ''

Syllis quaternaria ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Moore, 1906 *** ''

'' McIntosh, 1879 *** '' Syllis riojai'' (San Martín, 1990) *** '' Syllis robertianae'' McIntosh, 1885 *** '' Syllis rosea'' (Langerhans, 1879) *** ''

Syllis rubicunda ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Aguado, San Martín & Nishi, 2008 *** '' Syllis rudolphi'' Delle Chiaje, 1841 *** '' Syllis schulzi'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960) *** '' Syllis sclerolaema'' Ehlers, 1901 *** '' Syllis setoensis'' (Imajima, 1966) *** '' Syllis sol'' San Martín, 2004 *** '' Syllis stenura'' Blanchard in Gay, 1849 *** '' Syllis tamarae'' Álvarez-Campos & Verdes, 2017 *** '' Syllis tiedemanni'' Delle Chiaje, 1841 *** '' Syllis torquata'' Marion & Bobretzky, 1875 *** '' Syllis tripantu'' Álvarez-Campos & Verdes, 2017 *** '' Syllis truncata'' Haswell, 1920 *** '' Syllis tyrrhena'' (Licher & Kuper, 1998) *** ''

Syllis umbricolor ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' Grube, 1878 *** '' Syllis unzima'' Simon, San Martín & Robinson, 2014 *** '' Syllis valida'' Grube, 1857 *** '' Syllis variegata'' Grube, 1860 *** '' Syllis villenai'' Aguado, San Martín & ten Hove, 2008 *** '' Syllis violacea'' Grube, 1870 *** '' Syllis vittata'' Grube, 1840 *** '' Syllis vivipara'' Krohn, 1869 *** '' Syllis warrnamboolensis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1987) *** ''

Syllis westheidei ''Syllis'' is a genus of marine bioluminescent polychaete worm Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine annelid worms, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions calle ...

'' San Martín, 1984 *** '' Syllis yallingupensis'' (Hartmann-Schröder, 1982) *** '' Syllis ypsiloides'' Aguado, San Martín & ten Hove, 2008 ** ''

'' *** ''

Ramisyllis multicaudata ''Ramisyllis multicaudata'' is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. It was found in Darwin Harbour, Australia, where it was living within the tissues of a sponge of the genus '' Petrosia''. It was the second branching species of p ...

'' Glasby, Schroeder & Aguado, 2012 *** ''

Ramisyllis kingghidorahi ''Ramisyllis kingghidorahi'' is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. The species lives in the Sea of Japan off Sado Island, Japan, where the holotype was found living within the internal canals of a sponge of the genus '' Petrosia ...

'' M. Teresa Aguado, et al. 2022

References

External links

Annelid families {{Annelid-stub