Questidae - Polychaetes with Oligochaetoid morphology and development
Zoologica Scripta
10: 95-103
Publication
Kristian Fauchald's Polychaeta DB
The morphology and anatomy of Novaquesta trifurcata Hobson, 1970 and of the closely related Questa caudicirra Hartman, 1966 have been studied in detail from live worms from intertidal beaches in Maine (USA) and New Brunswick (Canada) and from a review of the type material. Oligochaetoid features in combination with peculiar specific structures lead to a discussion of the systematic position of the family Questidae within the Annelida. It is concluded that they represent aberrant polychaetes with an oligochaetoid mode of reproduction associated with an interstitial life. The ventral pharyngeal pad and accessory musculature is compared with that of archiannelid and aberrant polychaete species.