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Related FAQs: Worms, Featherdusters 1, Featherdusters 2, Tubeworms 3, Tubeworm ID 1Featherduster ID 2, Featherduster ID 3, Featherduster ID 4, & Tubeworm Behavior, Tubeworm Compatibility, Tubeworm Selection, Tubeworm System, Tubeworm Feeding, Tubeworm Disease, Tubeworm Reproduction, Worm IdentificationPolychaete Identification, Worm IDs 1, Worm IDs 2, Worm IDs 3, Worm IDs 4, Worm IDs 5, Worm IDs 6, Worm IDs 7, Worm IDs 8,

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.
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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. 

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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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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. 

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)
 
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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.

Sedentariate Polychaetes part I, part II, part IV

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