How do polychaetes reproduce?
Most polychaetes reproduce sexually, but asexual reproduction is known to occur through a variety of processes. For sexual reproduction, depending on the species, there can be individuals with separate sexes or they can be hermaphroditic, with both male and female reproductive systems. Eggs and sperm are both sometimes released into the open water, where subsequent to fertilization, larval development takes place and larvae might remain in the water column for as short as hours to as long as several months depending on the species. At the appropriate time, larvae settle to the sea floor and undergo a metamorphosis to the juvenile form what will further develop into adult worms. Rather than releasing eggs into the water, the members of some species actively brood their young in the tube or burrow of the parent, with juveniles eventually crawling away. Asexual reproduction can occur through several different processes. Individuals capable of asexual reproduction are usually also capable
