Polychaete Worms
Members of the segmented worm family which includes earth worms, bristle worms and tube worms to mention a few. (over 10,000 species).
The first
specimens, photographed swimming night, were easily a
foot long. Their undulating body motion is due to a
tail first movement that moves forward up the body
which is unlike snakes and eels whose movement
begins at the head and moves backward toward the
tail. They are predatory and feed on other worms
and tiny invertebrates. Swimmers are known as
'errant'.
The small brown streaks are called
peanut worms. All are nighttime feeders.
The second worm was found living among algae on a mangrove root. The are more similar to a bristle worm with the sharp bristles in each side of each body segment.
