(Serpula vermicularis)
The Calcareous Tube Worm has bright colours, which vary from orange to red, and some have white bands. The most spectacular feature of these marine worms is their feathery crown. Their crown is created when the feather tentacles are pulled into a tube.
Glands located just below their heads create these tubes. These glands produce the mucus/carbohydrate mixture and secrete it within the confined space of these glands. They then apply this secretion to the leading edges of the Calcareous Tube Worm tube. So as the worms grow, so do their tubes.
Calcareous Tube Worm can be up to 10 cm in length and approximately 2 mm in diameter. The animal lives in the white calcified tubes that are often seen fastened to rocks and substrates. The coiled protective tube is made of calcium carbonate, and a red trap door is used to seal the tube. The tentacles’ colours range from red to orange and are used to feed on plankton.
The Calcareous Tube Worm is a filter feeder that feeds on tiny microscopic organisms and small particles. When feeding, the animal extends the feather duster tentacles from its tube. Links of cilia on these tentacles force food particles toward the mouth. These little tube worms are quite fascinating to watch as they move back and forth in the current. As they glean tidbits of food with their feather-like fans.
Along the Pacific coast, Calcareous Tube Worm spawning takes place between June and September. The larvae form part of the plankton for one to two months before settling on the seabed. Once on the seafloor, growth happens quite quickly, with tubes growing by 1 centimetre a month. The worms mature in about 10 months and may live for several years.