Last update: 22/10/15
Eric H. Biass
Sunday, 07 April 2013 17:50
Brown Fan Bryozoan
| Aspect: | A conglomerate of fan-disposed arrays of very fine brown tubes that look like modern sophistcated dessert decorations. |
| Population: | Common, but generally hidden. |
| Notable feature: | Close examination show that there are connections between the spoking tubular branches of each fan-shaped array. |
| Environment: | With rare exceptions, occurs in protected recesses, but as seen in some of the pictures below can develop on the exposed silted gunwale of a wreck, the Franjack in this occurrence. |
| Behaviour: | - |
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Bryozoa
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Tuesday, 02 April 2013 19:24
Brown Fanworm
| Aspect: | Horn bell array of radioles spreading from a thin and often concealed tube. Feathers are usually banded white over purple or brown. |
| Population: | Not abundant. |
| Notable feature: | - |
| Environment: | Usually hidden under ledges or in recesses. |
| Behaviour: | Immediately retracts if appoached too closely or too fast. |
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Worms
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Tuesday, 02 April 2013 19:17
Star Horseshoe Worm
| Aspect: | Horn bell-shaped array of radioles, but with a deep u-shaped distorsion, spreading from a thin and often concealed tube. Feathers are usually banded white over purple or brown. CAUTION: not to be confused with the Horseshoe Worm, which is a phoronida - a totally different phylum. This is a Star Horseshoe Worm. |
| Population: | Not abundant. |
| Notable feature: | - |
| Environment: | Usually hidden under ledges or in recesses. |
| Behaviour: | Immediately retracts if appoached too closely or too fast. |
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Worms
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Tuesday, 02 April 2013 19:13
Split-Crown Feather Duster
| Aspect: | Two very flimsy semi-circular feathered fans join at the centre of their bases over a very thin-walled calcareous tube homing the body of the worm. The tube is buried into the substrate and only a small length of this usually protrudes into the open. |
| Population: | Ubiquitous. |
| Notable feature: | The radioles (the "feathers") can be of many colours as pictures herewith demonstrate, and can even combine two colours. Not only do neighbouring worms usually sport identical colours, but should they adopt a combination they also share the same coloration pattern. |
| Environment: | Very shy, will promtly retract when approached too closely. It is hence diificult to photograph and since the function of the radioles is to catch plankton nutriments, these are in constant movement. |
| Behaviour: | - |
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Worms
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Tuesday, 02 April 2013 12:40
Sea Frost
| Aspect: | Clumps of white, irregular calcareous tubes from which protrude the tiny worms' translucent radioles. |
| Population: | Occasional. |
| Notable feature: | Can form an entangled encrusting mass or, as seen in one of the picture below, colonise encrusting sponges. |
| Environment: | Often anchor on mooring shipwreck ropes as seen here, but also colonise sponges and even scraggly black corals as exemplified by two of the pictures below. |
| Behaviour: | Wary, and abruptly retract into their tubes if approached too closely. |
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Worms
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