Spirobranchus kraussii

Spirobranchus kraussii, the blue coral-worm, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Serpulidae of order Sabellida. It is native to the Indian Ocean.

Synonyms

• Placostegus caeruleus Schmarda, 1861 (confused, subjective synonym of two other taxa)
• Placostegus cariniferus kraussii Baird, 1865 (superseded original combination)
• Placostegus latiligulatus Baird, 1865
• Placostegus ornatus articulata Mörch, 1863 (subjective synonym)
• Pomatoceros (Pomatoleios) caerulescens Augener, 1922 (subjective synonym)
• Pomatoleios caerulescens Augener, 1922 (subjective synonym)
• Pomatoleios crosslandi Pixell, 1913 (subjective synonym)
• Pomatoleios kraussii (Baird, 1865) (superseded recombination)
• Pomatoleios kraussii manilensis Pillai, 1965 (subjective synonym)

Distribution

• Indo-West Pacific
• Cape Peninsula to Mozambique
• South Africa
• Mediterranean Sea (alien)
• Gulf of Mexico (from synonym)
• Madagascar (from synonym)
• North Atlantic Ocean European waters [from synonym]
• Red Sea
• Persian Gulf
• Australia
• Japan
• India
• Hawaii

Description

The head has two rows of feathery branches and a stalked operculum with two pointed wings and a flat cap. Length about 15mm and tubes are about 2mm inside diameter.

Habitat

The blue coral-worm builds massive colonies of interwoven calcareous tubes, which can be locally abundant on moderately exposed rocky shores. It is a filter feeder.

References