Limnognathia

Besides the stiff sensory cilia, L. maerski has different groups of motile cilia. The ciliated areas comprise the ventral part of the anterior and lateral head regions and the ventral part of the thorax and abdomen.

The cilia in the forehead is arranged in horseshoe- shaped bands and are capable of creating a current that leads food particles towards the mouth. The cilia on the lateral sides of the head and on the ventral side of the trunk is arranged in a completely different pattern. The cilia are arranged in groups, and in each group the cilia arise from a single cell and beat in unison. This kind of ciliary arrangement is called ciliophores and it is only known from two groups of microscopic polychaetes, the Diurodrilidae and the Neotenotrocha. Four pairs of ciliophores are present on the lateral sides of the head, and on the ventral side of the trunk the ciliophores are arranged in a double row. The ciliophores are used for locomotion.