This page links to photos of polychaete worms (phylum Annelida) that we have photographed in the Marshall Islands. Measurements were not taken in the field and animals were not collected, so all sizes given are rough eyeball estimates, often based on distant memories. Many of these animals are capable of stretching out considerably.
Click on a thumbnail below to bring up a page with larger photos and information about that species; for variable species, several different thumbnails may load the same page.
These typically elongate bristle worms are sometimes called fireworms. Their fine lateral chaetae are sharp and easily penetrate skin. Several of those figured may be variations of a single species and one at least is likely the widespread Eurythoe complanata.
The Echiurans or tongue worms to which these belong were formerly considered a separate phylum. The World Register of Marine Species now lists them as included with the polychaete annelids.
These were formerly mostly species in the genus Eunice. However, a recent review has split Eunice into several genera and examination of the specimen is now required to separate them.
Terebellids, sometimes called spaghetti worms, live in tubes under the sand or rocks and stretch out long sticky tentacles to trap food particles. Like many of the worms, it would require direct examination of specimens to accurately determine IDs. We have tentatively separated them primarily on the basis of tentacle color.
Colin
& Arneson (1995)
Gosliner
et al (1996)
Humann
& DeLoach (2010)
Thanks to Leslie Harris for looking at some of these photos, identifying some and offering helpful comments on others. Many IDs, however, are just my own guesses, so any errors are certain to be mine.
All photos are protected by copyright. Please contact uwkwaj@yahoo.com for more information on purchase, use, or redistribution of any photos.
