Serpula vermicularis

These tubeworms were all located in the low intertidal area at Tongue Point on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As the picture shows, there were many of them living closely together. Tube worms encase themselves in a mucus which is their tube. This provides them with protections and stability since they are anchored. For eating they stick out their cirri and catch microorganisms for their food. In order to determine what kind of tube worm species it is the tube would have to be cut open to view the actual worm.

Tube worms found at Tongue Point on the Stait of Juan de Fuca on 5/20/07. Photo by Trisha O’Hearne

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This webpage is part of the UWT Marine Ecology 2007 Class Project