Underwater Worms

I have a fascination about the worms that are found in the ocean. The unique ones I've seen don't look like the worms we see here on the earth.

Take for instance the Christmas Tree worms in my previous post. You'd never guess that those critters are actually worms.

Check out this photo that I found on IslandTimeGallery.com via their Facebook account. I wish I could take credit for it. Maybe one day I will encounter one and be able to photograph it.

In the interim, here is what they call a Magnificent Feather Duster. Here's a write up about this beautiful creature as found on Oceana:
"The only part of this worm that is normally visible is a beautiful fan of feathery tentacles. The worm’s segmented body is hidden inside a soft, flexible tube that it builds tucked beneath rocks or in a coral crevice or buried in sand. The tentacles are in two whorls and are usually banded brown and white. They are normally extended into the water to filter out plankton, but at the slightest vibration or disturbance, such as the exhalation of a scuba diver, the worm instantly retracts the tentacles down into the safety of the tube."

Christmas Tree worms fascinate me. If you approach them too quickly, they disappear in a flash. But don't take my word for it, watch this short video I took at a depth of 85 feet off the coast of Boynton Beach, Florida.