Deep-Sea taxon details
Serpula Linnaeus, 1758
129580 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:129580)
accepted
Genus
Paraserpula Southward, 1963 · unaccepted (subjective synonym)
Zopyrus Kinberg, 1867 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
- Species Serpula concharum Langerhans, 1880
- Species Serpula narconensis Baird, 1864
- Species Serpula vermicularis Linnaeus, 1767
- Species Serpula maorica (Benham, 1927) (uncertain > taxon inquirendum)
- Species Serpula philippensis McIntosh, 1885 (uncertain > taxon inquirendum)
- Species Serpula planorbis (Southward, 1963) (uncertain > taxon inquirendum, junior secondary homonym to Serpula planorbis Linnaeus, 1758)
- Species Serpula sombreriana McIntosh, 1885 accepted as Hyalopomatus sombrerianus (McIntosh, 1885) (superseded original combination)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
recent only
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 786 [details] Available for editors
page(s): 786 [details] Available for editors
Note Type species S. vermicularis Linnaeus 1767 as...
From editor or global species database
Type species Type species S. vermicularis Linnaeus 1767 as a consequence of the application of Heppell (1963), and ICZN RULING announced in opinion 767 of the ICZN. [details]
Etymology Latin, feminine diminutive, meaning 'little snake', from serpere to creep
Etymology Latin, feminine diminutive, meaning 'little snake', from serpere to creep [details]
Deep-Sea (2025). Serpula Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://marinespecies.org/deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=129580 on 2026-07-26
Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2026). World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS). Serpula Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/Deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=129580 on 2026-07-26
Date
action
by
original description
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 786 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Paraserpula Southward, 1963) Southward, Eve C. (1963). Some new and little-known serpulid Polychaetes from the continental slope. <em>Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K.</em> 43(3): 573-587., available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315400025534 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Zopyrus Kinberg, 1867) Kinberg, J.G.H. (1866 [or 1867]). Annulata nova. [Continuatio.]. <em>Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar, Stockholm.</em> 23(9): 337-357., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32287795
page(s): 351 [details]
additional source Hove, Harry A. ten.; Kupriyanova, Elena K. (2009). Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 2036: 1-126., available online at http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/issue/view/2173
page(s): 93 [details]
additional source Bellan, G. (2001). Polychaeta, <i>in</i>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. <em>Collection Patrimoines Naturels.</em> 50: 214-231. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Day, J. H. (1967). [Sedentaria] A monograph on the Polychaeta of Southern Africa. Part 2. Sedentaria. British Museum (Natural History), London. pp. 459–842., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8596 [details]
subsequent type designation Heppell, David 1963. Serpula Linnaeus, 1758 (Annelida, Polychaeta). Proposed designation of a type-species under the plenary powers and relevant proposals. Z.N.(S.) 1606. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 20(6): 443-446., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12221788 [details]
subsequent type designation ICZN 1966. Opinion 767. Serpula Linnaeus, 1758 (Annelida, Polychaeta): designation of a type-species under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 23(1): 29–30, available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12222830
page(s): 29 [details]
page(s): 786 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Paraserpula Southward, 1963) Southward, Eve C. (1963). Some new and little-known serpulid Polychaetes from the continental slope. <em>Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K.</em> 43(3): 573-587., available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315400025534 [details] Available for editors
original description (of Zopyrus Kinberg, 1867) Kinberg, J.G.H. (1866 [or 1867]). Annulata nova. [Continuatio.]. <em>Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar, Stockholm.</em> 23(9): 337-357., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32287795
page(s): 351 [details]
additional source Hove, Harry A. ten.; Kupriyanova, Elena K. (2009). Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 2036: 1-126., available online at http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/issue/view/2173
page(s): 93 [details]
additional source Bellan, G. (2001). Polychaeta, <i>in</i>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. <em>Collection Patrimoines Naturels.</em> 50: 214-231. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Day, J. H. (1967). [Sedentaria] A monograph on the Polychaeta of Southern Africa. Part 2. Sedentaria. British Museum (Natural History), London. pp. 459–842., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8596 [details]
subsequent type designation Heppell, David 1963. Serpula Linnaeus, 1758 (Annelida, Polychaeta). Proposed designation of a type-species under the plenary powers and relevant proposals. Z.N.(S.) 1606. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 20(6): 443-446., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12221788 [details]
subsequent type designation ICZN 1966. Opinion 767. Serpula Linnaeus, 1758 (Annelida, Polychaeta): designation of a type-species under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 23(1): 29–30, available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12222830
page(s): 29 [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Etymology Latin, feminine diminutive, meaning 'little snake', from serpere to creep [details]Type species Type species S. vermicularis Linnaeus 1767 as a consequence of the application of Heppell (1963), and ICZN RULING announced in opinion 767 of the ICZN. [details]
Link to Linnaeus' collection with images of his Serpula specimens Note: None of the Linnaeus collection Serpula are polychaetes
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Serpula)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Serpula)
To Genbank
To Genbank
To GenBank (37 nucleotides; 1255 proteins)
To NHMUK collection (Serpula Linnaeus, 1758; NHMUK:ecatalogue:8068215)
To ITIS
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Serpula)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Serpula)
To Genbank
To Genbank
To GenBank (37 nucleotides; 1255 proteins)
To NHMUK collection (Serpula Linnaeus, 1758; NHMUK:ecatalogue:8068215)
To ITIS
Unreviewed
Hosted externally
