This week in Amed….discover the ever present Spirobranchus Giganteus, also known as the Christmas Tree Worm, a name derived from its appearance, and clearly not from their habitat or diet. This one was spotted at the Liberty Wreck in Amed.
These little creatures have a tube-like body from which two colored crowns protrude. The « Branches » of the worm are composed of radioles radiating from the worm’s central spine used for respiration and to catch lunch composed of microscopic plants or phytoplancton.
This sedentary worm can retract into its burrow, hiding from potential predators. When you’re 2 to 3 cm in size, you’d better hide. Even thought Scuba Divers like to witness this retractability, we recommend not to play with them, as they tend to waste energy that could be used for better purpose.