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| photo by Michael Mulford |
Christmas tree worms are tube dwelling annelids (worms) found in tropical ocean waters all over the world. They have beautiful twin spirals of plumes or gills that are used for feeding and respiration. The Christmas tree worm is the most easily recognized polychaete (Greek- with much hair) worm because of their shape and range of vibrant colors. They can be found in orange, yellow, blue and white.
The worms have two spirals, both shaped like Christmas trees. The spirals consist of radioles or feather-like tentacles used for feeding on particles of food or plankton. These tentacles of cilia (fine hairs) are also used for respiration and are sometimes referred to as gills.
Christmas tree worms feed by catching particles of food and plankton as it goes by in the water. The food is passed down a groove or ciliary tract by little hair like extensions. These hairs generate water currents to move along food and mucus to the mouth. As food particles are sorted, larger particles are discarded and sand is stored to be used for tube building.
The Christmas tree worm is anchored into a burrow that bores into live coral. When male and female worms reproduce, they cast eggs and sperms into the water. The eggs are fertilized and the growing larvae settle on to a coral head. The worm then builds a tube on the surface of the coral. As the coral grows, it buries the tube in the skeleton of the coral. The worm is then protected by the coral with only its head showing.
The worms are very sensitive to disturbances. The slightest touch or shadow causes the worm to quickly retract the feather like tentacles. As a scuba diver approaches with a camera, the worm may quickly disappear. If the underwater photographer waits about a minute though, the feather like spirals re-emerge slowly and majestically.
The PADI Underwater Digital Photography specialty offers a lot of helpful information on how to capture photos like this for yourself.
Come in to Seaview Scuba and talk to our specialty instructor about opportunities for training. You may even decide to go on a Seaview Scuba dive trip to guide you to the best photo opportunities.
