Nereididae

Nereididae is a family of mostly marine polychaete worms, commonly called ragworms or clam worms. Its members have paired appendages on their body segments and often change form when reproducing.

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Polychaeta: Polychaeta is a traditional grouping of mostly marine annelid worms, many with paired parapodia and numerous bristles. Nereididae is one of the best-known families within this broad traditional grouping.
Epitoky: Epitoky is a reproductive transformation in which a worm develops a swimming form specialized for spawning. Many nereidids transform into epitokes before leaving the seabed to release gametes.
Hediste diversicolor: Hediste diversicolor is a brackish-water ragworm common in estuaries and coastal sediments. Its tolerance of variable conditions makes it useful in studies of estuarine ecology.
Alitta virens: Alitta virens is a large ragworm species found in North Atlantic coastal waters. It is widely known as a bait worm and was formerly classified as Nereis virens.
Annelida: Annelida is the animal phylum containing segmented worms, including earthworms, leeches, and many marine worms. Nereidids are annelids whose repeated body segments carry paired appendages.
Nereis virens: Nereis virens is a large marine ragworm found along Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe. This species illustrates the burrowing and predatory habits common among nereidids.
Bioindicator: A bioindicator is an organism whose presence, condition, or abundance reveals environmental conditions. Nereidid populations can reflect changes in sediment quality and coastal pollution.
Perinereis aibuhitensis: Perinereis aibuhitensis is a marine ragworm native to coastal waters of the western Pacific. Its commercial harvest and culture show the practical value of some nereidids.
Parapodium: A parapodium is a paired lateral appendage on many polychaete segments, used in movement, gas exchange, or both. These conspicuous appendages are a defining feature of nereidid body form.
Proboscis: A proboscis is an extendable feeding structure used by some animals to capture or ingest food. Nereidid worms evert a muscular pharynx, often armed with jaws, to seize food.