POLYCHAETE WORMS, PART 1 309 



hairy limbate borders (fig. 83^). With oval or platehke postsetal 

 lobes with border entire or serrated (sometimes referred to as dorsal 

 and ventral cirri). Notopodial lobes gradually get smaller posteriorly. 



(2) Middle or anterior abdominal region (fig. 82d) with uniramoiis 

 parapodia, with notopodia lacldng. Neuropodia in form of simple, 

 elongate-conical lobes with few heavy projecting aciciilar setae and 

 slender tuft of long pointed setae, with a postsetal lobe and sometimes 

 with a subpodal thin flange extending posteriorly forming a thin pouch- 

 like membrane with frilled margin. Ventrally on body sometimes with 

 1 to few pairs short retractile papillae, more conspicuous posteriorly 

 (sometimes referred to as branchiae) . 



(3) Posterior abdominal region (fig. 82,e,f) similar to anterior 

 abdominal region except parapodia are biramous, with notopodia 

 present in form of low mounds armed with a bundle of few acicular 

 setae. When notosetae are extended, they appear as stellate or 

 wheel-like structures (the structure to which the family name refers) . 

 Posterior end with collarlike pygidium or may be papillate. Proboscis 

 an eversible, voluminous, lobulate soft sac, without jaws (fig. 82c). 



The trochochaetids live in muddy bottoms and form long cylindrical 

 tubes of fine mud particles held together by a fibrouslike secretion. 

 They evidently form additional tubes more or less continuously. 

 They are probably bottom deposit feeders. 



Contains only one genus. 



Genus Trochochaeta Levinsen, 1883 



Disonia Oersted, 1843; preoccupied by Ehrenberg (1831, in Protozoa); type 

 (monotypy) : Disoma mxdlisetosum Oersted, 1843. 



Thaurnastoma Webster and Benedict, 1884; type (monotypy): Thaumastoma 

 singulare Webster and Benedict, 1884; = Trochochaeta multisetosa (Oersted, 

 1843). 



Nevaya Mcintosh, 1911 ; type (monotypy) : Nevaya whiteavesi McIntosh;= Trocho- 

 chaeta multisetosa (Oersted, 1843). 



Disomides Chamberlin, 1919; type (author's designation): Disomides nmUisetosum 

 (Oersted, 1843). 



Type (monotypy): Trochochaeta sarsi Levinsen, 1 883 (= posterior 

 end of Disoma multisetosum Oersted, 1843). 



Key to the New England Species of Trochochaeta 



1. Notopodial and neuropodial postsetal lobes of some anterior segments ser- 

 rated or fimbriated (figs. 82,a-c; 83,c-d) T. multisetosa 



Notopodial and neuropodial postsetal lobes of anterior segments with border 

 entire, not serrated (fig. 83j) T. watsoni 



