In 1758, in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, the Swedish scientist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus described the class "Vermes" as:
Animals of slow motion, soft substance, able to increase their bulk and restore parts which have been destroyed, extremely tenacious of life, and the inhabitants of moist places. Many of them are without a distinct head, and most of them without feet. They are principally distinguished by their tentacles (or feelers). By the Ancients they were not improperly called imperfect animals, as being destitute of ears, nose, head, eyes and legs; and are therefore totally distinct from Insects. Linnaean Characteristics
Heart: 1 auricle, 0 ventricles. Cold, pus-like blood. Spiracles: obscure Jaw: various Penis: frequently hermaphrodites Organs of Sense: tentacles (generally), eyes, no brain, no ears, no nostrils Covering: calcareous or none, except spines Supports: no feet, no fins. Crawls in moist places & are mute The class Vermes, as Linnaeus conceived it, was a rather diverse and mismatched grouping of animals; basically it served as a wastebasket taxon for any invertebrate species that was not an arthropod. With the advent of the scientific understanding of evolution, it became clear that many of the animals in these groups were not in fact closely related, and so the class Vermes was dropped for several (at least 30) phyla.
Intestina Gordius (horsehair worms)
Gordius aquaticus Gordius argillaceus Gordius medinensis – Dracunculus medinensis, the Guinea worm Furia Furia infernalis – Despite the many accounts of this purported animal by respected authorities, including Daniel Solander and Linnaeus himself, it is now accepted that no such animal exists. Lumbricus (earthworms) Lumbricus terrestris – common earthworm Lumbricus marinus – Arenicola marina, the blow lugworm Ascaris (giant intestinal roundworms) Ascaris vermicularis – Enterobius vermicularis, the pinworm Ascaris lumbricoides – giant roundworm Fasciola (liver flukes) Fasciola hepatica – sheep liver fluke Fasciola intestinalis
Hirudo (leeches) Hirudo sanguisuga – Haemopis sanguisuga, the Horse Leech Hirudo medicinalis – European medicinal leech Hirudo octoculata – Erpobdella octoculata Hirudo stagnalis – Helobdella stagnalis Hirudo complanata – Glossiphonia complanata Hirudo indica Hirudo geometra – Piscicola geometra Hirudo muricata – Pontobdella muricata Myxine (hagfishes) Myxine glutinosa – Atlantic hagfish Teredo (shipworms) Teredo lapidaria Teredo navalis – naval shipworm
Mollusca
Limax (terrestrial slugs) Limax ater – Arion ater, the black slug Limax rufus – Arion rufus, the red slug Limax maximus – leopard slug Limax agrestis – Deroceras agreste, the grey field slug Limax flavus – Limacus flavus, the yellow slug Doris (dorid nudibranchs) Doris verrucosa Tethys (tethydid sea slugs) Tethys limacina Tethys leporina – Tethys fimbria
Nereis (polychaete worms) Nereis lacustris – Stylaria lacustris Nereis caerulea Nereis gigantea – Hermodice carunculata, the bearded fireworm Nereis pelagica Nereis noctiluca Aphrodita (Sea mice) Aphrodita squamata – Lepidonotus squamatus Aphrodita aculeata – sea mouse Lernaea (anchor worms) Lernaea cyprinacea Lernaea asellina – Lernentoma asellina Lernaea salmonea – Salmincola salmoneus Priapus (priapulid worms & anemones) Priapus equinus – now Actinia equina, the beadlet anemone Priapus humanus – now Priapulus caudatus, the cactus worm Scyllaea (scyllaeid sea slugs) Scyllaea pelagica – sargassum nudibranch Holothuria (salps & Men o' War) Holothuria physalis – Physalia physalis, the Portuguese man o' war Holothuria thalia, Holothuria caudata, & Holothuria denudata – Cyclosalpa pinnata Triton (triton snails) Triton littoreus
Sepia (octopuses, squid, & cuttlefish) Sepia octopodia – Eledone cirrhosa, the horned octopus Sepia officinalis – common cuttlefish Sepia media – Alloteuthis media, the midsize squid Sepia loligo - Loligo vulgaris, the common squid Sepia sepiola - Sepiola rondeleti, the dwarf bobtail
Medusa (jellyfish) Medusa porpita – Porpita porpita, the blue button Medusa cruciata Medusa aequorea Medusa aurita – Aurelia aurita, the moon jellyfish Medusa capillata – Cyanea capillata, the lion's mane jellyfish Medusa pilearis Medusa marsupialis – Carybdea marsupialis, the mediterranean box jelly Medusa pelagica Medusa brachiata Medusa beroe – Beroe beroe Medusa velella – Velella velella, the sea raft
Asterias (starfish) Asterias luna – Anseropoda rosacea Asterias rubens – common starfish Asterias glacialis – Marthasterias glacialis, the spiny starfish Asterias reticulata – Oreaster reticulatus, the red cushion sea star Asterias nodosa – Protoreaster nodosus, the horned sea star Asterias aranciaca – Astropecten aranciacus, the red comb star Asterias equestris – Hippasteria phrygiana, the trojan star Asterias laevigata – Linckia laevigata, the blue star Asterias planci – Acanthaster planci, the crown-of-thorns starfish Asterias ophiura – Ophiura ophiura, the serpent star Asterias pectinata – Comatula pectinata Asterias multiradiata – Capillaster multiradiata Asterias Caput medusae – Gorgonocephalus caputmedusae, the medusa's head starfish
Echinus (sea urchins & sand dollars) Echinus esculentus – edible sea urchin Echinus globulus – Mespilia globulus, the globular sea urchin Echinus sphaeroides – Salmacis sphaeroides Echinus gratilla – Tripneustes gratilla, the collector urchin Echinus lixula – Arbacia lixula, the black sea urchin Echinus saxatilis – Diadema setosum Echinus diadema – Echinothrix diadema, the diadema urchin Echinus cidaris – Cidaris cidaris, the long-spine slate pencil urchin Echinus mamillatus – Heterocentrotus mammillatus, the slate pencil urchin Echinus lucunter – Echinometra lucunter, the rock-boring urchin Echinus atratus – Colobocentrotus atratus, the helmet urchin Echinus spatagus – Metalia spatagus Echinus lacunosus – Schizaster lacunosus Echinus rosaceus – Clypeaster rosaceus, the fat sea biscuit Echinus reticulatus – Clypeaster reticulatus, the reticulated sea biscuit Echinus placenta – Arachnoides placenta Echinus orbiculus – Hemiheliopsis fonti
Testacea Chiton (chitons)
Chiton hispidus Chiton tuberculatus – West Indian green chiton Chiton aculeatus Chiton punctatus Lepas (barnacles) Lepas balanus – Balanus balanus Lepas tintinnabulum – Megabalanus tintinnabulum Lepas testudinaria – Chelonibia testudinaria Lepas mitella – Capitulum mitella, the Japanese goose barnacle Lepas anatifera – pelagic gooseneck barnacle
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
