These skittish little worms will instantaneously retract their gill plumes into a calcareous tube following a shadow or other disturbance. The funnel-shaped operculum then blocks the tube's entrance. Gill plumes about 10 mm. Depth 10m.
Anterior appendages include the abundant radioles seen here. Behind the radioles to the bottom left the lighter red, funnel-shaped operculum can be seen.
This tiny individual, with a tube less than 1/2 cm long, is attached to a bryozoan. Note the coiling of the tube in tiny individuals such as this. The funnel-shaped operculum is visible to the left of the radioles. The gray, forklike object projecting down to the left from one of the coils is a tiny phoronid worm about 2 mm long. Cilia on the worm's forked lophophore are beating strongly.
A large Serpula vermicularis on a rock picked up subtidally near Rosario. Total tube length about 12 cm and nearly 1 cm diameter. (Photo by: Dave Cowles)
Seed scallops, with a small amount of white worm tube (Serpula) attached to the shell. These scallkops have not yet spawned, and, for the future welfare of the scallop fishery, should be protected until they have passed the spawning period, which occurs when the scallop is one year old. The capture of these immature scallops is a decided menace to the fishery, and is forbidden by law.