This is the first in a planned series of eleven volumes on polychaetes. (Unfortunately, the series has been very slow to materialise!)

Keys are provided to all the world orders and families for adult polychaetes. These are to be repeated (as is the introduction) in all the subsequent polychaete volumes.

The main part gives keys to genera and species, followed by the rather brief individual species accounts. One or a few key features are illustrated for each species but there are few drawings of habitus or even foreparts.

Whole samples may be narcotised by putting in seawater to which 7-8% magnesium chloride has been added. They are left undistubed for c. 1 hour.

Individual specimens in dishes of seawater can be narcotised by sprinkling a few crystals of menthol or magnesium chloride on the surface, by a few globules of propylene phenoxetol, or by the slow addition of 70% ethyl alcohol.

Once they cease to respond to the touch, apply gentle pressure to evert the proboscis and fix in buffered or neutralised 10% formalin (4% formaldehyde) solution for at least 24hrs. Buffer with borax (60g per litre of formalin) or neutralise with sodium hydroxide.

For long-term storage, transfer either to 70-90% alcohol (after washing in freshwater to remove surface salt) or to a 1-2% solution of propylene phenoxetol. The latter has better colour preservation as well as being non-volatile and non-flammable.

An alternative fixative/preservative is Quaternium-15.

Identification may require dissection, and species identification almost always requires microscopy of chaetae, preferably using a 100x oil immersion objective.