Polychaetes (Class Polychaeta) constitute the most numerous group and
the most structurally diverse of the annelids. About 10,000 living species.
These segmented worms are exclusively marine, and can be found living
in the depths of the ocean, floating free near the surface, or burrowing
in the mud and sand of the beach. Some, such as Eunice
gigantea, may reach three meters long.
Polychaetes are known by many names: lugworms, clam worms, bristleworms,
fire worms, palolo worms, sea mice, featherduster worms, etc., but all
posses an array of bristles on their many leg-like parapodia. The name
polychaete, in fact, means "many bristles".
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