PORT PHILLIP BAY


Tube Worm 

Ampharetid sp. MoV 629

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Family level description.
Ampharetidae are tube-dwelling polychaetes with massed retractable feeding tentacles arising from the mouth, and 2-4 pairs of branchiae arising from the dorsal part of the first segment. The body is differentiated into thoracic and abdominal regions, distinguished by different arrangements of chaetae.

Species level technical description.
Three pairs of smooth branchiae, none clearly associated with a segment. Buccal tentacles papillose. Palae present. 14 thoracic uncingers; 17 thoracic notosetae (excluding palae). Thoracic uncini in a single row. Abdominal notopodial rudiments present.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Annelida
Class:
Polychaeta
Order:
Terebellida
Family:
Ampharetidae
Genus:
Ampharetid

General Description

Three pairs of smooth branchiae, none clearly associated with a segment. Buccal tentacles papillose. Body up to about 1 cm long.

Biology

There has been no recent taxonomic studies of Ampharetidae in Australian waters so the identification, habitat and wider distribution of this species remains unknown.

Habitat

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Worms › Tube worms

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

1 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

sp. MoV 629

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Wilson, R.

Robin Wilson is a Senior Curator of marine invertebrates at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Wilson, R., 2011, Tube Worm, Ampharetid , in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7391

Text: creative commons cc by licence