Biodiversity discovery of Syllid Worms

Syllid annelids are among the most diverse groups of marine worms, inhabiting ecosystems from shallow tropical reefs to the deep sea. Over the last decades, our team has described nearly a hundred new species worldwide, including striking recent discoveries such as Virchowia christophi, Clavisyllis tenjini, and Paraopisthosyllis rufa from Japanese waters, revealing an extraordinary hidden biodiversity.
Building on this foundation, we are expanding the current phylogenetic framework for the family by integrating data from newly collected material, advanced morphological studies, and high-resolution genomic resources, including complete genomes. These efforts are refining the evolutionary tree of Syllidae and uncovering patterns of diversification across habitats and oceans.
Through this global approach, we aim to clarify the evolutionary history of the group, trace the origins of their ecological and morphological innovations, and provide a robust taxonomic baseline for future ecological and evolutionary research.