polychaeter

Polychaeter is commonly viewed as a misspelling or informal variant of polychaete. The correct term is polychaete, referring to worms in the class Polychaeta within the phylum Annelida. Polychaetes are distinguished by numerous bristles, called chaetae, on paired appendages called parapodia that project from each segment.

Most polychaetes are marine, occupying a range of habitats from sandy and muddy substrates to rocky bottoms and tube-dwelling environments. Their bodies are segmented, typically with a distinct head bearing sensory organs, and a pair of parapodia on each segment equipped with chaetae that aid in locomotion and, in some groups, respiration.

Diversity in ecology and feeding is high. Some are free-living predators or scavengers, others are filter feeders or deposit feeders, and many species construct tubes or burrows. Reproduction varies; many polychaetes are dioecious and release free-swimming trochophore larvae, while others brood their young or develop directly.

Taxonomically, Polychaeta has traditionally been treated as a class within Annelida, but modern classifications often describe polychaetes as a clade or informal lineage within Annelida, reflecting their evolutionary relationships to other annelids. The term polychaete thus covers a broad and ecologically important component of marine invertebrate biodiversity.