(They aren’t always what they first appear to be)

In this photo by Ryan Murphy, the long thin, almost transparent ribbon, possibly a tentacle of a terebellid worm is shown along with a Pholus sp. gunnel and the siphons of a mollusc.

What we initially believed was a ribbon worm has been identified as a feeding tentacle!

We received this from Leslie Harris” I’m also pretty sure that the ribbon worm is really a terebellid feeding tentacle.  There appears to be a groove running the length of the tentacle and packets of detritus being carried in the groove back to the mouth. ”

In the following image, the tangle of tentacles are also from one of the Terebellidae.

Tentacles of terebellid worm. Photo by Ryan Murphy

• Eumetazoa–metazoans
  • Bilateria–bilaterally symmetrical animals
    • Protostomia —protostomes
      • Lophotrochozoa
        • Trochozoa
          • Annelida–segmented worms
            • Class–Polychaeta
              • Order–Canalipalpata
                • Family–Terebellidae
                  • Genus–unidentified

We are currently trying to identify this polychaete worm. The image was taken underwater at Race Rocks by Ryan Murphy, 2010.

unidentified annelid Photo by Ryan Murphy

In a comment from Sheila Byers “I like the suggestion of a long, thin Oenonid or Lumbrinerid but I think I am seeing some gill structures over the dorsum of the anterior even though I am not seeing pronounced antennae or palps on the head – possibly an Eunicidae?”

Classification by Animal Diversity Web
View our other examples of Annelids at  Race Rocks
Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy Index

This tubeworm is seldom seen as it retracts at the smallest disturbance. Ryan took this image while diving off the north side of Great Race Rock.

Serpula columbiana by Ryan Murphy, April, 2010 

See Ryan’s underwater set on Flickr with a range of invertebrates:

This tube worm has calcareous tubes cemented together. Small blackish-brown tentacles protrude from a raised rim of the tube,

Dodecaceria fewkesi by Ryan Murphy, April, 2010

See Ryan’s underwater set on Flickr with a range of invertebrates:

Serpula columbiana from the photo above along with at least two other species of Polychaete. Dodecaceria concharum Dodecaceria fewkesi and a lined chiton,a nudibranch and Balanophyllia elegans the orange cup coral along with an unknown species of crab.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Annelida
Class Polychaeta
Subclass Canalipalpata
Order Terebellida
Sub Order Cirrabuliformia
Family Cirrabulidae
Genus Dodecaceria
Species fewkesi
Common Name: Fringed filament worm
Other Annelids at Race Rocks

Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File

The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Garry Fletcher with underwater photography of Ryan Murphy

&nbs

Myxicola infundibulum , a slime tube worm is one of the Polychaetes in the Phylum Annelida. It is fairly common among the vast array of other invertebrates living subtidally at Race Rocks.

Ryan Murphy took this underwater picture in April of 2009 at Race Rocks. It captures the transparency well.

Slime worm by Ryan Murphy April 2010

Typically, this Terebellid tube worm appears as a slight fuzz on the surface of the pink lithothamnion or on the hydrocorals.

Taken in 2009 by Ryan Murphy off the North side of Great Race Rock. Note the sculpin with cryptic colouration.

A close up view of a colony of Dodecaceria concharum emerging from Lithothamnion. On the left is the cryptically coloured sculpin that takes advantage of the background for blending in. Photo by Ryan Murphy.

Photo by Dr.A. Svoboda

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Subclass: Palpata
Order: Canalipalpata
Suborder: Terebellida
Family: Cirratulidae
Genus: Dodecaceria
Species: concharum (Oerstad,1851)
Common Name: coralline fringed tube worm
Other Annelids at Race Rocks

Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File

The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Garry Fletcher, 2006

Below is a  close up view of a colony of Dodecaceria concharum emerging from Lithothamnion. On the left is a cryptically coloured sculpin that takes advantage of the background for blending in. See the complete picture below.

Taken in 2009 by Ryan Murphy off the North side of Great Race Rock

Photo by Dr.A. Svoboda Typically, this Terebellid tube worm appears as a slight fuzz on the surface of the pink lithothamnion or on the hydrocorals.

Arctonoe pulchra Photo by Ryan Murphy

Scaleworm in the arms of a sea star

We frequently see the red commensal Scale worms on the ventral surface of sea cucumbers, and sea stars.

Kingdom Animalia (animals)
Eumetazoa (metazoans)
Protostomia protostomes
Lophotrochozoa
Trochozoa
Annelida (segmented worms)
Class Polychaeta
OrderAciculata
Family Polynoidae
Genus Arctonoe
Species Arctonoe pulchra

Common name: Red commensal Scale worm
Classification from: Animal Diversity Web