Sand Mason Worm

Photo: Ana Santos · CC BY-NC

Dense meadows of sand mason worm tubes carpet the sediment beneath the pier, each tube crowned with a delicate branching fringe that the worm extends to filter particles from the passing current. These tube colonies create microhabitat for dozens of smaller invertebrate species, effectively acting as a nursery ground for juvenile crustaceans and polychaetes. Observing the tubes at macro scale reveals intricate patterns of tentacle movement impossible to appreciate from the surface.