Featherduster wm III

Related Articles: Polychaete Worms, Worm Diversity, Nematodes: Roundworms,

/A Diversity of Aquatic Life

Feather Dusters, Tube-Dwelling Sedentariate Polychaete Worm Diversity, part III

Sedentariate Polychaetes part I, part II, part IV

To: Errantiate (i.e. Non-tubiculous) Polychaetes (many known to hobbyists as "Bristleworms"

By Bob Fenner

Family Serpulidae: Calcareous Tubeworms. Sometimes further divided into worms with spiral tubes (Spirorbidae) and straight (Serpulidae). Produce white, calcareous tubes, often with longitudinal ridges, thickenings, spines. Shape, size of cover (operculum) often useful in determining species. Includes genera: Serpula, Spirobranchus, Protula

Some Serpulids are tiny, down to barely noticeable with the naked eye. Here are some calcium tube dwelling ones on a relatively large Sea Squirt in N. Sulawesi. Smaller than pinhead size.

Genus Filograna:

Filograna elatensis, Ben Eliahu & Dafni 1980. A Serpulid with distinctive reddish pinnate tentacles. Red Sea to Indonesia, S. Japan, Australia and New Guinea. N. Sulawesi.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Filograna implexa, Berkeley 1828. N. Sulawesi. Formed of irregular masses of white calcareous tubes. Small heads/crowns of about a dozen simple capitate tentacles. Often occurs in human-fouled settings.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

Genus Pomatostegus:

Pomatostegus stellatus, the Star Horseshoe Worm, family Serpulidae. 1-1 1/2". Tropical West Atlantic. U to wing-shaped crowns whose radioles can be variable, but are covered by an operculum which lacks spikes and is circular in shape. Typically bored into living coral as here in Cozumel.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Genus Protula:

Protula magnifica Straughan 1967, the Magnificent Tubeworm. Tropical Indo-Pacific. Not easily kept in captivity. Constructs calcareous tube of up to a foot in length and a centimeter in diameter. Aquarium photos and N. Sulawesi.

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The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Genus Spirobranchus:

Spirobranchus giganteus, the Christmas Tree Worm, family Serpulidae. 1-1 1/2". Two spiral crowned groups of radioles with a double horned operculum between them that bears a sharp spine. Tropical West Atlantic, Indo-Pacific. Di pix in Cozumel, and Bob in Bonaire.