Polychaeta |
Sabellida |
Serpulidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Sessile; depth range 3 - 10 m (Ref. 125532). Tropical
Indo-West Pacific.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Body is 6 to 10 cm in length, including the worm tube; diameter can reach 20 cm when the two branchial crowns fully open. The branchial crown is made up of white radioles (can reach up to 80) arranged in three spiral whorls, each covered with closely packed small cilia. Crown is white, and base varies from red to pink.
In coral sand and rock crevices (Ref. 107830). Occur in shallow waters, from depths of 3 to 10 meters. Filter feeder. Sensitive to water movement and fluctuation in light intensity. Easily retracts into its calcareous tube when it detects movement nearby (Ref. 125532).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Polychaeta are mostly gonochoric (sexual). Mating: Females produce a pheromone attracting and signalling the males to shed sperm which in turn stimulates females to shed eggs, this behavior is known as swarming. Gametes are spawned through the metanephridia or body wall rupturing (termed as "epitoky", wherein a pelagic, reproductive individual, "epitoke", is formed from a benthic, nonreproductive individual, "atoke"). After fertilization, most eggs become planktonic; although some are retained in the worm tubes or burrowed in jelly masses attached to the tubes (egg brooders). Life Cycle: Eggs develop into trocophore larva, which later metamorph into juvenile stage (body lengthened), and later develop into adults.
Wehe, T. and D. Fiege. 2002. (Ref. 2663)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthMorphologyLarvaeAbundance
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
