Hirudinea

THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

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Identify taxa

Soft bodied

Annelida

phylum Annelida
(segmented worms)

Key to Taxa | List of Taxa

The phylum Annelida includes all the segmented worms. In Pacific Northwest wetlands, you may find Annelida in the taxa Hirudinea (leeches), Branchiobdellida (crayfish worms), and Oligochaeta (aquatic earthworms and tubificid worms).

Key to Annelida

	Hirudinea (the leeches) soft muscular body flattened from top to bottom; sucker present on anterior and posterior end; body often patterned; body has 34 segements, but may appear greater as each segment is subdivided

	Oligochaeta (aquatic earthworms) soft elongated tubular body with many segments; lack suckers; may look similar to earthworms, but smaller.

	Branchiobdellida (crayfish worms) sucker present on at least one end; fewer segments than leeches (only 17 large segments); often shaped like a flat bowling pin

	Polychaeta (rag worms, bristle worms) may be incidental in wetlands; mainly marine organisms; each body segment has a pair of fleshy appendages (parapodia) with many bristles (chaetae).

List of Taxa
Branchiobdellida (crayfish worms)
Oligochaeta (aquatic earthworms)
Hirudinea (leeches)
Polychaeta (rag worms or bristle worms)

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