Quick ID Please
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I'm with Justleesa on this one; looks like a featherduster.
Can you give us some more details, location, depth, and how it reacted to you?
Can you give us some more details, location, depth, and how it reacted to you?
Like the others said, "feather duster worm". This is a generic term given to many members of the sabellid tube worm clade, not to be confused with the serpulids (which form calcareous as opposed to sand/mucous tubes).
The radioles (tentacle things) look rather tattered on this specimen, and I am having trouble determining the scale in the photograph. It appears to me that the worm is "super-sized", and I can't find a parallel in the Humann guide. Maybe it's an African transplant... you are way the heck out in Barbados. Or maybe it's endemic, even sweeter.
Is that a sponge or fire coral that the worm is attached to? Fire coral seems farfetched, but they do occur in that orange shade on occasion.
Could you post a bigger picture? Oh pretty please.
The radioles (tentacle things) look rather tattered on this specimen, and I am having trouble determining the scale in the photograph. It appears to me that the worm is "super-sized", and I can't find a parallel in the Humann guide. Maybe it's an African transplant... you are way the heck out in Barbados. Or maybe it's endemic, even sweeter.
Is that a sponge or fire coral that the worm is attached to? Fire coral seems farfetched, but they do occur in that orange shade on occasion.
Could you post a bigger picture? Oh pretty please.
The nearest one I can find in the Humann Guide is the Varigated Feather Duster.
Comments?
Comments?
Oh goody, bigger photos.
Hmm... you've got a little clump of Montastrea cavernosa nearby, and they tend to have polyps ~1/2 cm across. From that, I'd extrapolate that the worm's radiole diameter is several centimeters at least.
From THAT, you get one stinking big sabellid. Humann lists Sabellastarte magnifica (magnificent feather duster) as attaining this size. And they come in white.
From THAT, this species type is known to possess a DOUBLE radiole set. Looking closely at your photo, I do in fact see that second ring.
Sure would have liked to see that sucker myself. It's a keeper.
Hmm... you've got a little clump of Montastrea cavernosa nearby, and they tend to have polyps ~1/2 cm across. From that, I'd extrapolate that the worm's radiole diameter is several centimeters at least.
From THAT, you get one stinking big sabellid. Humann lists Sabellastarte magnifica (magnificent feather duster) as attaining this size. And they come in white.
From THAT, this species type is known to possess a DOUBLE radiole set. Looking closely at your photo, I do in fact see that second ring.
Sure would have liked to see that sucker myself. It's a keeper.
archman:
Sounds like a pretty good call to me.
However, I can't find it in either my Reef Creature book or the CD. Where did you get the info... I'd like to add it to my Critter-Finding List.
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