Sand Mason Worm [Lanice conchilega]
Description
The Sand Mason Worm is a type of tube-dwelling anellid worm that is widely distributed across marine environments, including the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the North Sea. They build tubes from sand and shell fragments, which protrude from the seabed, with the worm living inside. These organisms are filter feeders, catching plankton and detritus in mucus nets which they extend out of the top of their tubes. The worms have a long, segmented body with a pinkish hue and a tuft of long, thread-like tentacles at the anterior end.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Segmented Worms
Annelida
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Polychaetes
Polychaeta
|
| Order |
Aciculata
Aciculata
|
| Family |
Terebellids
Terebellidae
|
| Genus |
Lanice
Lanice
|