Sedentaria are mainly found within marine environments that have low oxygen levels and are specially adapted to these low oxygen environments by increasing gill surface area and having high-affinity respiratory proteins. Furthermore, they go through a process of metabolic depression which lowers their energy use so that they can inhibit these low oxygen zones .[2]
Some taxa, such as Spintheridae and Myzostomida, are still difficult to place due to their long branching, but they likely belong to either Errantia or Sedentaria.[1]
References
^ abcWeigert A, Bleidorn C (2016). "Current status of annelid phylogeny". Org Divers Evol. 16: 345–362. doi:10.1007/s13127-016-0265-7.
^Struck TH (2019). "Phylogeny". In Purschke G, Böggemann M, Westheide W (eds.). Handbook of Zoology: Annelida. Vol. 1: Annelida Basal Groups and Pleistoannelida, Sedentaria I. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783110291582-002. ISBN9783110291469.