unknown worm
- Thread starter Witfull
- Start date
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Gymshoes
Guest
While looking at pics online trying to identify my unknown worms recently I found this fairly comprehensive marine "worm site": http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/zoo/inverts/others/worms/worms.htm
They have photos of most of the worms listed there. Seems like I might have seen something like that there. BTW, how long is that thing?? It looks like it's pretty long.
They have photos of most of the worms listed there. Seems like I might have seen something like that there. BTW, how long is that thing?? It looks like it's pretty long.
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Gymshoes
Guest
That dime really puts things in perspective. From the initial larger-than-life images I thought you'd snagged a sea monster! 
As a clueless newbie, I'm hesitant to make a guess...but if I were going to guess, I'd guess some kind of bristleworm. If the bands are segments, then it has to be some kind of Annelida...of which there are only 15,000 to choose from. Any sign of damage on that leather toadstool frag? At the risk of maligning an innocent worm, my gut feeling is this guy isn't harmless.
I'll go back through some of the worm sites I surfed searching for my hitchhikers and let you know if I find anything.
As a clueless newbie, I'm hesitant to make a guess...but if I were going to guess, I'd guess some kind of bristleworm. If the bands are segments, then it has to be some kind of Annelida...of which there are only 15,000 to choose from.
Any sign of damage on that leather toadstool frag? At the risk of maligning an innocent worm, my gut feeling is this guy isn't harmless. I'll go back through some of the worm sites I surfed searching for my hitchhikers and let you know if I find anything.
Newt
Active Member
Wit, I found one of those on a gonipora at work two days ago. I pulled it off and put it in a cup to save it for our store manager to try to ID but someone threw it away. It was that exact worm, but the main body was overall lighter...still had the strings coming from the sides with the little balls on the end of them, and it too looked similar in size.
It will be interesting to see what it is, I was thinking it could've been the unidentified cause of the gonipora problem...LOL Bye bye nobel prize.
Just taggin' along!
OHHHHHH Boomer!
It will be interesting to see what it is, I was thinking it could've been the unidentified cause of the gonipora problem...LOL Bye bye nobel prize.
Just taggin' along!
OHHHHHH Boomer!
Witfull
Well-Known Member
almost to the bottom of the page,,,fuzzy pic that is similar, and it too was on a goniopora.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/poritidfaq3.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/poritidfaq3.htm
NaH2O
Contributing Member
My guess is some type of Syllidae worm. In your picture it appears to have those hair looking things coming off the sides of the worm. I found this thread, that might help out a bit: Strange Worm. Here is a close-up followed by a quote:
Hope this helps...at least to get the wheels turning.
Hope this helps...at least to get the wheels turning.
Boomer
Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Wizard
http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bhworm/errant/
Witt
Try the above for help. All I can say is to agree that it may be a Syllid. You would think I could find some kind of image almost like yours, but afrer 1 hr on Googles and books so far no deal I'll keep lookin' I swear to God I have seen an image similar to yours somewhere in one of my ID books. I have not looked at all of them yet.
Witt
Try the above for help. All I can say is to agree that it may be a Syllid. You would think I could find some kind of image almost like yours, but afrer 1 hr on Googles and books so far no deal
I'll keep lookin' I swear to God I have seen an image similar to yours somewhere in one of my ID books. I have not looked at all of them yet.
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Gymshoes
Guest
I, too, have spent an hour or more combing the web looking for a polychaete that matches yours. The red and white banding is very distinctive and I've googled everything from scientific names to common names and haven't found a match. Don't know if this means your worm is rare---or just camera shy.
For what it's worth here's the notes I've copy and pasted.
Annelids all have segments. Within this phyllum..."Most oligochaetes and polychaetes possess setae (paired, chitinous lateral bristles -- thus the common name, 'bristleworms') on each segment to increase friction with the substratum during movement, allowing the animals to crawl and burrow with greater efficiency." So we know you have "A Bristleworm"---in a very general sense.
I'm no good at this ID stuff...I can't even narrow it down to family. The best I can do is this:
Phyllum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Family...one of the ones on this page http://www.calacademy.org/research/izg/SFBay2K/Polychaeta_errant.htm It lists the more mobile members of the Polychaeta class. It doesn't have nearly enough photos (only two of Syllids).
Sorry I couldn't do better, but I'm a newbie to reefkeeping---give me a few more years.
For what it's worth here's the notes I've copy and pasted.
Annelids all have segments. Within this phyllum..."Most oligochaetes and polychaetes possess setae (paired, chitinous lateral bristles -- thus the common name, 'bristleworms') on each segment to increase friction with the substratum during movement, allowing the animals to crawl and burrow with greater efficiency." So we know you have "A Bristleworm"---in a very general sense.
I'm no good at this ID stuff...I can't even narrow it down to family. The best I can do is this:
Phyllum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Family...one of the ones on this page http://www.calacademy.org/research/izg/SFBay2K/Polychaeta_errant.htm It lists the more mobile members of the Polychaeta class. It doesn't have nearly enough photos (only two of Syllids).
Sorry I couldn't do better, but I'm a newbie to reefkeeping---give me a few more years.
NaH2O
Contributing Member
Dave - check this site: Key to Polychaete Identification. Since you have seen this worm close up, you maybe able to come up with the worm. If you aren't sure what the question means, you can click on it to see a pic of what they are asking. I entered somethings that I could see off the photo and Syllidae came up as one option.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
reefjitsu
Active Member
It looks like a worm that I had in my refugium, except the one I had built a tube out of shells and gravel. Kinda like a caddis fly larvae. This guy could shoot back into his little tube at incredible speed, even with his body fully extended. I never could get a picture because he was so fast. Anyway, The structure that this worm had built was very inconspicuous and you probably wouldn't notice if you weren't looking for it. Maybe you caught this worm out of his little home somehow, or before he built one in your tank? I never could identify the one I had, but it was identical to the one in your pic.