Vermes in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae

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

Pholas (piddocks & angelwings) Pholas dactylus – common piddock Pholas costatus – Cyrtopleura costata, the angel wing clam Pholas striatus – Martesia striata Pholas candidus – Barnea candida Pholas pusillus – Martesia striata

Mya (soft-shell clams) Mya crispata – Zirfaea crispata Mya truncata – truncate softshell Mya arenaria – common softshell Mya lutraria – Lutraria lutraria, the common otter shell Mya pictorum – Unio pictorum, the painter's mussel Mya margaritifera – Margaritifera margaritifera, the freshwater pearl mussel Mya perna – Perna Perna, the brown mussel

Mya vulsella – Vulsella vulsella

Solen (razor clams) Solen vagina Solen siliqua – Ensis siliqua, the pod razor Solen ensis – Ensis ensis Solen legumen – Pharus Legumen, the bean razor Solen cultellus – Ensiculus cultellus Solen radiatus – Siliqua Radiata Solen strigilatus – Solecurtus strigilatus, the rosy razor Solen anatinus – Laternula anatina Solen bullatus Solen inaequivalvis – Pandora inaequivalvis

Tellina (tellins) Tellina gargadia – Quadrans gargadia Tellina linguafelis – Scutarcopagia linguafelis Tellina virgata – Tellinela virgata Tellina gari – Gari truncata Tellina fragilis – Gastrana fragilis Tellina albida Tellina foliacea – Phylloda foliacea Tellina planata – Peronaea planata Tellina laevigata – Laciolina laevigata Tellina radiata – sunrise Tellin Tellina rostrata – Dallitellina rostrata Tellina trifasciata – Latona trifasciata Tellina incarnata – Bosemprella incarnata Tellina donacina – Moerella donacina Tellina balaustina – Arcopella balaustina Tellina remies – Cyclotellina remies Tellina scobinata – Scutarcopagia scobinata Tellina lactea Tellina carnaria – Strigilla carnaria Tellina bimaculata – Heterodonax bimaculatus Tellina balthica – Limecola balthica, the baltic tellin Tellina pisiformis – Strigilla pisiformis Tellina divaricata – Lucinella divaricata, the divaricate Lucine Tellina digitaria – Digitaria digitaria Tellina cornea

Cardium (cockles) Cardium costatum Cardium cardissa – Corculum cardissa, the heart cockle Cardium hemicardium – Lunulicardia hemicardium Cardium medium – Americardia media, the Atlantic strawberry cockle Cardium muricatum – Acanthocardia aculeata, the spiny cockle Cardium echinatum – Acanthocardia echinata, the prickly cockle Cardium ciliare Cardium tuberculatum – Acanthocardia tuberculata, the rough cockle Cardium isocardia – Trachycardium isocardia, the West Indian prickly cockle Cardium fragum – Fragum fragum, white strawberry cockle Cardium unedo – Fragum unedo, Pacific strawberry cockle Cardium muricatum – Dallocardia muricata, the yellow prickly cockle Cardium magnum – Acrosterigma magnum, the magnum cockle Cardium flavum – Vasticardium flavum Cardium laevigatum – Fulvia laevigata Cardium serratum – Laevicardium serratum Cardium triste – synonym of Cardium solidum Cardium corallinum – Mactra corallina Cardium solidum – Spisula solida, the surf clam Cardium edule – Cerastoderma edule, the common cockle Cardium rusticum – synonym of Cardium tuberculatum Cardium pectinatum – Cardium stultorum – Mactra stultorum, the rayed trough shell Cardium virgineum Cardium humanum – Glossus humanus, the oxheart clam

Donax (wedge shells)

Donax pubescens – Hecuba Pubescens Donax rugosa Donax trunculus – truncate donax Donax denticulatus Donax cuneatus – cradle donax Donax scripta Donax muricata Donax irus – Irus irus, the irus clam

Venus (Venus clams) Venus dione – Hysteroconcha dione, the elegant venus clam Venus marica – Timoclea marica Venus dysera – Chione dysera Venus verrucosa – warty venus Venus casina Venus gallina – Chamelea gallina Venus petulca Venus erycina – Callista erycina Venus mercenaria – Mercenaria mercenaria, the hard clam Venus chione – Callista chione, the smooth clam Venus maculata – Macrocallista maculata, the calico clam Venus meretrix – Meretrix meretrix Venus scortum – Hecuba scortum Venus laeta – Pitar laetus Venus castrensis – Lioconcha castrensis, the zigzag venus Venus phryne Venus meroë – Sunetta meroe Venus deflorata – Asaphis deflorata, the gaudy sanguin Venus fimbriata – Fimbria fimbriata Venus reticulata – Periglypta reticulata Venus squamosa – Anomalodiscus squamosus Venus tigerina – Codakia tigerina Venus prostrata – Dosinia prostrata Venus pensylvanica – Lucina pensylvanica, the pennsylvania lucine Venus incrustata Venus punctata – Codakia punctata, the punctate codakia Venus exoleta – Dosinia exoleta, the rayed artemis Venus orbicularis – Codakia orbicularis, the tiger lucine Venus ziczac – Protapes ziczac Venus pectinata – Gafrarium pectinatum Venus scripta – Sunetta scripta Venus edentula Venus lupinus – Dosinia lupinus, the smooth artemis Venus literata – Tapes literatus Venus rotundata – Paphia rotundata Venus decussata – Ruditapes decussata, the grooved carpet shell

Spondylus (thorny oysters) Spondylus gaederopus – European thorny oyster Spondylus regius – regal thorny oyster

Chama (jewel box shells) Chama lazarus – Lazarus jewel box Chama gigas – Tridacna gigas, the giant clam Chama hippopus – Hippopus hippopus, the horse hoof clam Chama antiquata – Cardites antiquatus Chama semiorbiculata – Beguina semiorbiculata Chama calyculata – Cardita calyculata Chama cordata Chama oblonga – Trapezium oblongum Chama gryphoides Chama bicornis

Arca (ark clams) Arca tortuosa – Tricidos tortuosa Arca noae – Noah's ark shell Arca barbata – Barbatia barbata Arca pella – Lembulus pellus Arca lactea – Striarca lactea