 The annelids are also known as the ringed worms or segmented

worms.
 They are a large phylum, with over 17,000 extant species including
rag worms, earthworms, and leeches.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
 Annelids are bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic, coelomate,
invertebrate organisms.
 Annelid forms consists of multiple segments.
Each segment has the same sets of organs and has a pair of
parapodia
 The parapodia are used for locomotion.
• They have a septa which is made of chitin which separates segments.
• The septa makes the blood to circulate entirely within blood vessels
and the septa can be used in peristalsis.
• Body cavity is a true coelom and is protostomal that is the head
develops first.
• Has a true closed circulatory system.
• Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
• Has a nervous system with an interior nerve ring, ganglia and a
ventral nerve chord.
• Each ganglion is present per segment.
• Reproduction is normally sexual.
• Has no true respiratory organs.
• They are soft bodied.
THE PARAPODIUM FOR MOVEMENT
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• There are three classes of Phylum Annelida namely: polychaeta,
oligochaeta and hirudenea.
CLASS POLYCHAETA
• They have paired appendages or parapodia that bear many bristles called
chaetae made of chitin.
• Appendages may be present or absent on the head.
• Have separate sexes and the gametes are discharged directly into the water
where fertilisation and development occurs.
• They are marine, found at all depths of the ocean.
• The head is relatively well developed compared with other annelids.
• Head has 2 to 4 pairs of eyes, although some are blind, a pair of antennae,
tentacle-like palps and a pair of pits lied with cilia.
• For example lugworm (Arenicola marina) and sandworm or clam worm
(Alitta).
• They can be parasites, scavengers, herbivores, predators and filter
feeders
THE BODY DIAGRAM OF POLYCHAETA
• The outer surface of the body wall consist of simple columnar
epithelium covered by a thin cuticle followed by thin layer of
connective tissue, layer of circular muscle of longitudinal muscle and
a peritoneum surround the body cavity.
CLASS OLIGOCHAETA
• They live in marine, fresh water and terrestrial habitats.
• They are normally hermaphrodites with internal fertilisation and
complex reproductive organs.
• A few species are parasitic but most re free living.
• They have chaeta but with no parapodia and movement is by
burrowing with peristalsis.
• They have no distinct head region.
• They deposit feeders (earthworms) .
• They can be herbivores or scavengers.
CLASS HIRUDINEA
• Commonly known as leeches
• Mostly fresh water, some marine
• They have suckers on both ends and so move like inchworms
• 3\4 are blood sucking ectoparasites and 1\4 are predators
• They are hermaphroditic