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ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:30 am
by Scubie Doo
Out at Les Davis tonight and a worm caught my eye in the water column at about 20', during my safety stop. I have seen many worms before, but when I downloaded this one the colors and "hairs" extending from it were something I had never seen. I wish I would have taken a couple more photos. Any idea what kind of worm this is?
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:56 am
by LCF
Wow -- that's wild! Can't wait to see what the experts have to say.
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:35 am
by Nwbrewer
I have not a clue, but that is one badass picture.
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:47 am
by Scubak
You always see crazy stuff hanging out for deco/safety stops! Awesome!
Kirsten
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:42 pm
by Scubie Doo
I am wondering if my strobe hit it is a certain way to show the colors. It is an interesting one for sure.
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:32 am
by Tidepool Geek
Hi Jesse,
It would take a lot more information to come up with a species or even genus I.D. on your worm.
Having said that, it's almost certainly an epitoke (reproductive stage) from an errant polychaete. Here are a couple of threads where epitokes have been discussed:
http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=10767
http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16572
The color is probably iridescense from your strobes and is typical of Nerieds (clam worms) and some others.
Speculatively yours,
Alex
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:59 am
by LCF
Cool! Thanks, Alex!
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:30 pm
by Scubie Doo
Alex, thanks for the write-ups and links. I appreciate it.
Re: ID on this brightly colored worm...
Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 9:42 am
by LeslieH
Hi everyone -
Greg Jensen was at the museum yesterday & diplomatically reminded me that I was a flake for not showing up here more often.
So....
Not really an epitoke, just an egg-filled polychaete in the family Cirratulidae. Epitokes usually have distinct modifications of the body. This one doesn't. The colors are intensified by the lights & altered a bit - that blue is definitely an effect of the lights - but otherwise natural.
Many of the so-called sedentariates also swim into the water to spawn.
Cheers, Leslie