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Trees- ShrubsRed Calcareous Tubeworm ( Serpula vermicularis )
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S. vermicularis, with its pale yellow to red body and pink-white tube, are 5-7cm in length, with about 200 segments. The calcareous tube is cylindrical with occasional rings and irregular lengthwise ridges. The operculum of this segmented worm is funnel shaped and has radial grooves, with a serrated circumference. It is often patterned with red and white rays (1) There are 11 species found within the Serpula genus, none of which have been evaluated by the IUCN (2)(3).
The fan used for feeding can often become susceptible to being nipped by small fish and crustaceans, such as crabs. As a response to shadows, touch or water movements, the worm has been noted to retract quickly into its tube. They then are able to seal itself in with its operculum – a modified fan (4). In certain conditions, often lagoonal, several species are capable of forming dense aggregations of tubes, sometimes large enough to be considered as a reef (5).
As found with other serpulid larvae, the right ocellus develops first. Once the left ocellus has developed, the larvae enter the nectochaeta stage. During this stage they drop to the bottom and adopt a benthic life. This stage has been noted to begin as early as 28 days old and can vary in length; some worms can remain as nectochaetes for as long as 50 days (4). However, most of the studies regarding S. vermicularis’s life cycle have been carried out under laboratory conditions.
The tube of this work is often attached to hard substrata at the base. However, in reef aggregations it has been noted to be free for most of its length (1). They are found in both the lower tidal and subtidal zones (6).
Serpula vermicularis is a common epifaunal species and is commonly found on hard substrata in boreal, temperate and tropical seas(4).
Individuals sit at the mouth of the tube and filter small particles from the water column with a bilobed fan (4).
Not evaluated under the IUCN Redlist
Description written by Kathryn Woodward (2009)
(1) Hill, J.M., 2008. Serpula vermicularis. A tubeworm. [Online] Available at: http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=4340 [Accessed 14 Augustus 2009].
(2) IUCN, 2009. IUCN. [Online] (2009.1) Available at: www.iucnredlist.org [Accessed 16 June 2009].
(3) Hove, H., Fauchald, K., Fiege, D. & Bellan, G., 2009. Serpula vermicularis Linnaeus, 1767. [Online] Available at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=131051 [Accessed 14 Augustus 2009].
(4) Young, C.M. & Chia, F.-S., 1982. Ontogeny of phototaxis during the larval development of the sedentary polychaere, Serpula vermicularis (L.). The Biological Bulletin, 162, pp.457-68.
(5) Moore, C.G. et al., 2009. Mapping serpulid worm reefs (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) for conservation management. Aquatic conservation: Marine and Freshwater ecosystems, 19, pp.226-36.
(6) Dill, L.M. & Fraser, A.H., n.d. The worm re-turns: hiding behaviour of a tube-dwelling marine polychaete, Serpula vermicularis. Behavioural Ecology, 8(2), pp.186-95.
