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Family: Tubulanidae
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: Among epifauna and flora of sublittoral (3 to 5m depth) coral rubble. Distribution: Florida, Belize, & Panama Natural History Notes: In Florida, worms of this species hide in crags of a worm reef built by the polychaete Phragmatopoma lapidosa on intertidal coquina shell conglomerate, and especially among the holdfasts of the rhodophyte Gelidiella acerosa (Forsskal) growing on the worm reef. In Belize and Panama, the worms were found among epifauna and flora of sublittoral (3 to 5m depth) coral rubble. These worms do not burrow, but build delicate parchment tubes, and do so readily in dishes. Tubulanus species exhibit a characteristic coiling or spiral contraction when disturbed, possibly facilitated by their body-wall oblique musculature. Depth: 3 to 5m Characteristics: Specimens range from 10 to 55mm long and 0.2 to 0.4mm wide. The blunt, spatulate head can change shape usually flattening when disturbed and is slightly wider than the overall body-width. Individuals secrete a thin, cellophane-like, transparent tube. The ground color is milky-tan with a serial pattern of dark brown annuli repeating at 2 to 3mm increments, each annulus sandwiched by reflective white pigment bands. |
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