Family Nereidae "ragworms"
Distribution: Sungei Buloh, Kallang Basin, Pulau Semakau, Singapore River, Pulau Ayer Chawan, Sungei Punggol
Nereids are commonly known as "ragworms". Most of the nereids live on rocky shores and creep about under stones and forage actively among sea-weeds, barnacles, ascidians and other sedentary animals. They are essentially omnivorous. Many burrow in sandy mud or live in crevices where they are associated with beetles and centipedes. They are common in all depths and penetrate even freshwater and to a small extent terrestrial environments. They are easy to maintain under laboratory conditions and thus are used for research and as bait. They are able to crawl and swim. The carnivorous species have a powerful proboscis and exhibit aggressive hunting behavior.
The 10 species of Nereidae found in Singapore include:
- Ceratonereis hircinicola
- Ceratonereis mirabilis
- Leonnates decipiens
- Leonnates jousseaumei
- Perinereis barbara
- Perinereis cultrifera
- Perinereis nuntia
- Perinereis singaporiensis
- Perinereis vancaurica
- Tylonereis heterochaeta
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