Lugworm
Arenicola marina
Description 5
The presence of this lugworm can be detected by the characteristic signs of one of its U or J-shaped burrows; depressions are formed at the head-end, and a cast of coiled defecated sediment is present at the tail-end (3). This segmented worm has a cylindrical body, which has two distinct regions; the thoracic region bears bristles (known as 'chaetae'), and the last 13 segments also have bushy gills (3). The abdominal region (the tail end), which is thinner than the thoracic region, lacks gills and bristles. The colour of this worm varies greatly; it may be pink, red, brown, black or green (3).
Habitat 6
Found from high water neap tidal level to the middle or lower shore in sand and muddy sand, living in a characteristic U or J-shaped burrow. Often reaches high abundances in sheltered estuarine sediments.
Taxon biology 7
Lugworms eat the sand on the tidal flats. They digest anything edible in the sand. The filtered sand is ejected after going through their intestines. In order to get enough to eat, the animal has to process a lot of sand. It eats 3.5 liters of sand per year. Lugworms live in a U-shaped tunnel. They eat sand from one end of the tunnel, forming a funnel on the surface. Whatever is indigestible is pressed out at the other end of the tunnel. This is where the typical spaghetti piles of sand come from.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gene Selkov, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/selkovjr/9446217717/
- (c) Ian Boyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsaboyd/4432156363/
- (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/PhotosMedium/JCS%20Arenicola%20marina%2016789.jpg
- (c) Auguste Le Roux, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arenicola_marina.JPG
- (c) Wildscreen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/2609630
- (c) The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10657278
- (c) Copyright Ecomare, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/23204587
