amandajohnson15
One shell of a worm.
These are Sand Mason Worms, Lanice conchilega, found on the shore of Fort Fisher beach, NC March 15th. What I am actually holding are the ornate tubings built by the polychaete. The organism actually resides within the tube. The tubing is made of sand grains and shell fragments cemented by the polychaete's mucus. The tube usually protrudes from sand giving protected cover to the polychaete as it collects detritus to eat with its long fringy tentacles. The sand mason worm in large numbers can be considered an ecological engineer. They greatly influence habitat structure by being a foundation for other organisms to grow on.
One shell of a worm.
These are Sand Mason Worms, Lanice conchilega, found on the shore of Fort Fisher beach, NC March 15th. What I am actually holding are the ornate tubings built by the polychaete. The organism actually resides within the tube. The tubing is made of sand grains and shell fragments cemented by the polychaete's mucus. The tube usually protrudes from sand giving protected cover to the polychaete as it collects detritus to eat with its long fringy tentacles. The sand mason worm in large numbers can be considered an ecological engineer. They greatly influence habitat structure by being a foundation for other organisms to grow on.