Chaeta

A chaeta or cheta (from Ancient Greek χαίτη (khaítē) 'crest, mane, flowing hair'; pl. chaetae) is a chitinous bristle or seta found on annelid worms, although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates such as arthropods. Polychaete annelids (polychaeta literally meaning "many bristles") are named for their chaetae. In Polychaeta, chaetae are found as bundles on the parapodia, paired appendages on the side of the body. The chaetae are epidermal, extracellular structures, and clearly visible in most polychaetes. They are probably the best-studied structures in these animals. Segments bearing chaetae are called chaetigers. The ultrastructure of chaetae is fundamentally similar for all taxa but there is vast diversity in chaetal morphology. Moreover, chaetae bear precise characters for determination of species and taxonomic assessment. The shape, absolute and relative size, number, position, ornamentation and type are important taxonomic characters and specific types are often associated with families or genera. They are sometimes also species-specific and in some cases can be used to differentiate otherwise identical-looking species.