In this paper we compared the morphological and histological events during the regeneration process of two annelids–Platynereis dumerilii and Pygospio elegans. P. dumerilii is an errantial annelid capable of tail regrowth. P. elegans belongs to the Sedentaria clade and can regenerate both head and tail after amputation. To elucidate when the failure of anterior regeneration in P. dumerilii occurs we explored the wound closure, the proliferation and apoptotic events at the regeneration sites of both species. Our findings indicate that P. dumerilii fails to regenerate the head structures at the very early stages of the restoration process.