A family of small marine worms with segmented bodies, typically found on ocean floors and in tide pools.
Named after Hesione from Greek mythology; the suffix -idae is the standard Latin taxonomic ending for animal families. Scientists often named organisms after mythological figures, particularly when the creature's appearance suggested dramatic qualities.
These worms were named after a mythological sea-rescue because ancient naturalists saw them living near the sea and thought the name evoked their aquatic existence—it's like they were wordlessly telling a story through taxonomy. Today, hesionids are crucial to understanding deep-sea ecosystems that we're only beginning to explore.
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