Aberranta

General features. Body shape vermiform; segments numerous (more than about 15); regionation absent. Pygidium simple ring or cone, with lateral anal cirri and mid-ventral papilla.

Head & head structures. Head discrete and compact, dorsal to mouth. Prostomium rounded to bluntly conical. Eyes either present on prostomium, without lenses, or absent. Median prostomial antenna present; paired anterolateral ones present or absent; antennae smooth. Palps paired; unarticulated; ventrolateral. Nuchal organs indistinct paired dorsolateral patches (?). Peristomial ring double.

Pharynx & pharyngeal apparatus. Foregut without jaws.

Body segments & parapodia. First segment chaetigerous. First chaetiger with both notochaetae and neurochaetae. Parapodia biramous with prominent parapodial lobes; notopodial lobes large, fusiform adorned with sensory hairs; neuropodial lobes large, fusiform adorned with sensory hairs. Dorsal cirri absent. Ventral cirri absent. Branchiae present; arise from dorsum; occur on at least some chaetigerous segments; digitiform.

Chaetae. Notochaetae present. Aciculae absent. Capillary chaetae hair-like; hirsute-serrate. Forked chaetae present; lyrate type; tines more or less equal in length. Spines present in most or all chaetigers; in neuropodia only; slightly curved and more-or-less smooth.

Tube & burrow. Tube absent or unconsolidated. Burrow traces absent.

Description generated from: ‘C.J. Glasby & K. Fauchald (2002 onwards). POLiKEY. An information system for polychaete families and higher taxa: Version 1: September 2002.' http://www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/polikey/index.html’

Aberrantids have only been recorded from soft sediments at depths of 5-300 m