Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis

, Spaghetti Worm, Eupolymnia crassicornis
Depth: 2 - 40 m

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bermudas, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf, Yellow Sea

The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis is a marine worm belonging to the family Terebellidae. It is a common inhabitant of various marine ecosystems, particularly those in the intertidal zone and shallow subtidal areas.

Description & Characteristics

The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis is characterized by its long, slender body and numerous, hair-like appendages called “setae.” The body can reach up to 10 cm in length and is typically cream-colored, with a distinctive red or brown stripe running along its dorsal surface. The numerous setae, which resemble spaghetti strands, give the worm its common name. These setae are used for locomotion and anchoring the worm to its burrow.

Habitat and Occurrence

The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis is found in a variety of marine environments, including intertidal zones, shallow subtidal areas, and deeper waters. It is a common species in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. This species prefers soft sediment substrates, often found in areas with moderate wave action and currents. The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis can be found at depths ranging from the intertidal zone to approximately 100 meters.

Taxonomy

The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis belongs to the Class Polychaeta, Order Terebellida, and Family Terebellidae. Polychaetes are a diverse group of segmented worms, characterized by their numerous bristle-like appendages. The Order Terebellida includes a variety of burrowing polychaetes, known for their distinctive tube-dwelling habits. The family Terebellidae encompasses a broad range of species, including the Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis, which is distinguished by its long, slender body and numerous setae.

Feeding

The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis is a deposit feeder, meaning it obtains its nourishment from the sediment it inhabits. Its diet consists primarily of algae, foraminifers (single-celled organisms with shells), and mucus. The Spaghetti Worm – Eupolymnia crassicornis uses its tentacles to collect food particles from the surrounding sediment, transporting them to its mouth for consumption.

Associated Species

Image References

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