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  • These feathery structures are modified<br />
prostomial palps (mouth appendages) of Spirobranchus giganteus  polychaete worms. These spiral radioles are lined with cilia and are used by the worm for feeding and breathing. These worms have a mutual symbiotic relationship with their host corals.<br />
The corals provide structural support and protection, while the worms enhance water circulation which helps corals feed.
    spirobranchus-giganteus-christmas-tr...tif
  • These feathery structures are modified<br />
prostomial palps (mouth appendages) of Spirobranchus giganteus  polychaete worms. These spiral radioles are lined with cilia and are used by the worm for feeding and breathing. The circular structure in the foreground is the operculum, which the worm uses to seal its burrow.
    spirobranchus-giganteus-christmas-tr...tif
  • Bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois) protruding from its burrow in the muck of the Lembeh Strait. Bobbit worms are ambush predators, lunging out to grasp prey with their pincers.
    bobbit-worm-Eunice-aphroditois-lembe...tif
  • The visible portion of Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) comprises modified<br />
prostomial palps (mouth appendages) that are used by the animals for feeding and breathing. These polychaete worms also defecate from central tube within these spiral appendanges, as shown here. This particular worm has made a home in a thin wedge of Pavona decussata leaf coral.
    spirobranchus-giganteus-polychaete-w...jpg
  • This is an egg mass of a polychaete worm in the family Lumbrineridae. A large number of these appeared overnight one prior to full moon. The egg mass measures about 1.5cm.
    lumbrineridae-polychaete-worm-eggs-j...tif
  • This is a tube-like home of a marine polychaete worm in the Pectinariidae family, commonly known as trumpet worms or ice cream cone worms. These worms construct their homes by fitting and gluing together grains of sand. The walls of their home typically comprise a single layer of sand. The head of the worm is situated at the wider end (2cm in diameter in this case) of the tube, which faces down into sediment, with the narrower end protruding above the sediment. The worms forage in the sediment, digging through sand, mud and silt with strong gold-colored spines (setae) while using tentacles to sort through the materials. The worms digest organic particles and excrete pseudofaeces, a stream of undigested inorganic matter wrapped in mucous. This worm hole measured 9cm in length.
    pectinariidae-polychaete-trumpet-wor...tif
  • This is a polychaete worm in the Syllidae family, perhaps a Epigamia magna. Normally benthic residents, these segmented worms transition to sexually mature pelagic epitokes for the purpose of reproduction (as pictured here, carrying thousands of eggs). This individual was part of a swarm comprising many thousands of worms split up across multiple groups swimming in shallow water (surface to around 7m depth). I came across this aggregation in the 10 days leading up to full moon. Though I was unable to witness spawning, it seems that spawning took place after dark. Spawning did not appear to be synchronized. The swarm began to decrease in numbers after the full moon, suggesting the possibility of sequential spawning over a period of days.
    syllidae-polychaete-worm-with-eggs-j...tif
  • Shown here is the rediole array of a Metavermilia inflata polychaete worm. Radioles are the ciliated feather-like tentacles that sessile polychaete worms such as these use for filter-feeding and respiration. The ball is the worm’s operculum, which seals the end of the tube when the animal retracts its radioles. The worm has just defecated, poop visible coming out of the central tube.
    metavermilia-inflata-polychaete-worm...tif
  • This is a head-on view of the tube-like home of a marine polychaete worm in the Pectinariidae family, commonly known as trumpet worms or ice cream cone worms. These worms construct their homes by fitting and gluing together grains of sand. The walls of their home typically comprise a single layer of sand. The head of the worm is situated at the wider end (2cm in diameter in this case) of the tube, which faces down into sediment, with the narrower end protruding above the sediment. The worms forage in the sediment, digging through sand, mud and silt with strong gold-colored spines (setae) while using tentacles to sort through the materials. The worms digest organic particles and excrete pseudofaeces, a stream of undigested inorganic matter wrapped in mucous. This worm hole measured 9cm in length.
    pectinariidae-polychaete-trumpet-wor...tif
  • These feathery structures are modified<br />
prostomial palps (mouth appendages) of Spirobranchus giganteus  polychaete worms, often called Christmas tree worms. These spiral radioles are lined with cilia and are used by the worm for feeding and breathing. These worms have a mutual symbiotic relationship with their host corals. The corals provide structural support and protection, while the worms enhance water circulation which helps corals feed.
    spirobranchus-giganteus-christmas-tr...tif
  • Top-down view of a Bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois) protruding from its burrow in the muck of the Lembeh Strait. Bobbit worms are ambush predators, lunging out to grasp prey with their pincers.
    bobbit-worm-Eunice-aphroditois-lembe...tif
  • This is an egg mass of a polychaete worm in the family Lumbrineridae. A large number of these appeared overnight one prior to full moon. The egg mass measures about 1.5cm.
    lumbrineridae-polychaete-worm-eggs-j...tif
  • Composite image of various Syllidae polychaete worms that gathered around a light at night in order to prey upon smaller animals that had done the same. These worms were less than 1cm in size. All seemed to be carrying eggs. The middle image is of three entangled individuals.
    syllidae-polychaete-worms-with-eggs-...tif
  • This is a side view of a polychaete worm in the Syllidae family, perhaps a Epigamia magna. Normally benthic residents, these segmented worms transition to sexually mature pelagic epitokes for the purpose of reproduction (as pictured here, carrying thousands of eggs). This individual was part of a swarm comprising many thousands of worms split up across multiple groups swimming in shallow water (surface to around 7m depth). I came across this aggregation in the 10 days leading up to full moon. Though I was unable to witness spawning, it seems that spawning took place after dark. Spawning did not appear to be synchronized. The swarm began to decrease in numbers after the full moon, suggesting the possibility of sequential spawning over a period of days.
    syllidae-polychaete-worm-with-eggs-j...tif
  • This is a head-on view of a polychaete worm in the Syllidae family, perhaps a Epigamia magna. Normally benthic residents, these segmented worms transition to sexually mature pelagic epitokes for the purpose of reproduction (as pictured here, carrying thousands of eggs). This individual was part of a swarm comprising many thousands of worms split up across multiple groups swimming in shallow water (surface to around 7m depth). I came across this aggregation in the 10 days leading up to full moon. Though I was unable to witness spawning, it seems that spawning took place after dark. Spawning did not appear to be synchronized. The swarm began to decrease in numbers after the full moon, suggesting the possibility of sequential spawning over a period of days.
    syllidae-polychaete-worm-with-eggs-j...tif
  • Spawning polychaete worms. The ones pictured here are often called fireworms due to the pain that ensues if you touch the bristles, which contain a neurotoxin. Photographed during a blackwater dive a couple of days prior to the new moon.
    polychaete-worm-spawning-fireworm-br...tif
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