Smooth calcareous tube worm

Smooth calcareous tube worm
Smooth tube worm ( Protula tubularia )
Systematics
Class : Polychaete (Polychaeta) Subclass : Palpata Order : Canalipalpata Subordination : Sabellida Family : Tube worms (Serpulidae) Type : Smooth calcareous tube worm
Scientific name
Protula tubularia
Montagu , 1803

The smooth lime tube worm ( Protula tubularia ) is a species from the family of lime tube worms that occurs in the Mediterranean , Atlantic and North Sea .

Smooth tube worm with a white tentacle crown

Two tube worms with a white and orange tentacle crown

Close up of tentacles

distribution

The species is native to the entire Mediterranean . Protula tubularia is found in the East Atlantic and the Northwest Atlantic. The distribution area extends in Europe to the Irish and British coasts. Evidence is also available from the Gulf of Maine , New Zealand and South Africa .

habitat

The species is found on rocky soils, stones and other hard substrates. Protula tubularia is particularly common on scree fields and the rocky coast of the upper sublittoral .

behavior

The smooth lime tube worm builds white lime tubes with a circular cross-section, which it cementes along the length of the respective adhesive substrate (rock, etc.). The mouth of the tube protrudes slightly into the open water. The worm never leaves its tube. It feeds itself by filtering microorganisms that it catches with the help of its tentacle crown. The tentacle crown is formed by two tentacle bearers attached to the worm's head. The tentacle carriers thus represent a fine-meshed catching device.

biology

The tube can reach a length of 15 cm and a diameter of 1 cm. The tentacle wreath measures a maximum diameter of 3 cm. The tentacle crown consists of two halves of the same shape, which are funnel-shaped or arranged in a slightly spiral manner. The calcareous tube is very solid and less mobile than that of the related Sabellidae . The coloring of the tentacle crowns is variable and ranges from white, orange to red.

Aquaristics

Despite the optimal size for aquariums, the species is extremely rarely seen in saltwater aquariums. Like all inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, this species also has special requirements in terms of temperature and living conditions that do not conform to normal marine aquariums . However, the smooth tube worm can often be seen in large zoological aquariums.

Synonyms

Protula (Protula) tubularia (Montagu, 1803)

Protula (Protula) tuburalia (Montagu, 1803)

Protula (Psygmobranchus) protensa non Gmelin, Philippi, 1844

Protula (Psygmobranchus) tubularia (Montagu, 1803)

Protula borealis M. Sars, 1866

Protula capensis McIntosh, 1885

Protula elegans Milne Edwards, 1845

Protula meilhaci Soulier, 1908

Protula protensa non (Gmelin, 1791), sensu Philippi, 1844

Protula rudolphi Risso, 1826

Protula tabularia (Montagu, 1803)

Protula tubularia capensis McIntosh, 1885

Protula tubularia tubularia (Montagu, 1803)

Psygmobranchus elegans (Milne Edwards, 1845)

Psygmobranchus intermedius Marion, 1875

Psygmobranchus pratensis (Gmelin, 1791)

Psygmobranchus protensus non Gmelin, sensu Philippi, 1844

Psygmobranchus simplex Quatrefages, 1866

Psygmobranchus tubularis (Montagu, 1803)

Serpula arundo Turton, 1819

Serpula tubularia Montagu, 1803

literature

• What lives in the Mediterranean ?, Berbauer Humberg, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co.KG Stuttgart, 2009
• Fascinating underwater world of the Mediterranean, Claus Valentin, 1986
• Sea Fishes an Invertebrates of the Maltese Islands and the Mediterranean Sea, Lawson Wood, 2002
• The Dive Sites of Malta, Comino and Gozo, Lawson Wood, 1999

Web links

Commons : Glatter Kalkröhrenwurm ( Protula tubularia )  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Protula tubularia (Montagu, 1803) (Engl.)
• MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network
• Marine Species Identification Portal: Protula tubularia (Eng.)
• WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Protula tubularia tubularia (Montagu, 1803) (Engl.)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species , accessed on March 31, 2012
2. ^ Fascinating underwater world of the Mediterranean, Claus Valentin, 1986, p. 94
3. ↑ What lives in the Mediterranean ?, Bergauer Humberg, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co.KG Stuttgart, 2009, page 142
4. ^ Sea Fishes and Invertebrates of the Maltese Islands and the mediterranean Sea, Lawson Wood, 2002, p. 56
5. ↑ What lives in the Mediterranean ?, Bergauer Humberg, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co.KG Stuttgart, 2009, page 142