Facts: The Feather Duster Worm

Feather duster worms are a family of filter feeding tube worms that live stationary lives. They can inhabit shallow or deep waters. They are named for their highly branched fan of tentacles that extends from their tube. These tentacles are used for extracting oxygen from the water and filter feeding. The rest of their body is segmented and hidden in their soft, flexible tube. In most species, their tube is made up of sand, debris, and bodily secretions. A few species will instead construct their tube out of calcium carbonate. Feather duster worms will build their tube in between rocks and coral or buried in sand. The tubes may reach 18 in long. These worms prefer to inhabit turbid waters. They will wave their tentacles to direct small food items like plankton and detritus toward their mouth. They are sensitive to light, water motion, and touch. If they feel threatened, they will quickly retreat their tentacles into their tube. Most species have very basic eyespots that detect light, called ocelli. The ocelli can be present on their tentacles, heads, trunks, and the tips of their tails. Some species have more advanced compound eyes on their tentacles. Reproduction in feather duster worms varies by species. Some species can reproduce asexually by splitting in half. Most reproduce by broadcast spawning. Some species have separate sexes and some species are sequential hermaphrodites that start off as males and change into females as they grow larger. Due to their aesthetically appealing crown of tentacles, feather duster worms are commonly collected from the wild for the aquarium trade. These collecting practices can sometimes be destructive to coral reefs. For more marine facts, click the SUBSCRIBE button!!