Branchipolynoe

Generic diagnosis (Emended from Pettibone, 1986). Branchiae small to well developed, arborescent, on all parapodia from segment 2 or 3. Prostomium bilobed, with anterior lobes subtriangular or rounded. Median antenna present, style short; two pairs tentacular cirri, shorter than palps. First or tentacular segment visible dorsally as short ring or fused to prostomium. Notochaetae few (0 – 5) or moderate in number (5 – 20). Neuropodia with or without truncate lobes enclosing conical acicular lobes; neurochaetae very numerous, upper ones much stouter or only slightly stouter than lower ones. Commensal with deep-sea mussels at hydrothermal vents or cold-seeps.

Type species: Branchipolynoe symmytilida Pettibone, 1984