What worm is this?
From the rocky side of Karon Beach. Joe mentioned the group to which it belongs but I forgot what. It lives in a narrow tube made up of closely cemented pebbles and tiny shells. I didn't manage to take more photos as I fell asleep while they were preserving the specimens.
Chaetopterid?
Posted by: Christopher Taylor | 11 March 2008 at 12:13 PM
What a great shot! I have no idea what it is. But it sure is interesting, if rather icky.
Posted by: ria tan | 11 March 2008 at 12:27 PM
i believe it looks like an amphitrite worm, but i don't recognize the species...
Posted by: Rick MacPherson | 11 March 2008 at 02:35 PM
Wow stunning! But so bizarre! Looks like an amalgamation of different creatures/parts!
Posted by: Camemberu | 11 March 2008 at 06:41 PM
Looks like a Pectinaria to me! Here is a drawing for an example: http://www.scielo.org.ve/img/fbpe/inci/v29n10/Image1360.jpg
Posted by: kevin z | 03 April 2008 at 12:01 AM
It does belong to the family Pectinariidae but not necessarily to the genus Pectinaria. Depending on your taxonomic point of view there are 2 or 5 genera. Hutchings & Peart 2002 review the genera http://www.amonline.net.au/pdf/publications/1356_complete.pdfhttp://www.amonline.net.au/pdf/publications/1356_complete.pdf
and there's a better image of one at http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bvi-surv/images/worm-10/h0621d.htm
Sadly, my colleague labelled this image as Family Spionidae and has failed to correct his mistake despite repeated nagging, er, gentle reminders....
Posted by: | 03 April 2008 at 03:55 AM