Spirobranchus kraussii explained

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.^[1]

Synonyms

• Placostegus caeruleus Schmarda, 1861 (confused, subjective synonym of two other taxa)^[2]
• Placostegus cariniferus kraussii Baird, 1865 (superseded original combination)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• Pomatoleios kraussii (Baird, 1865) (superseded recombination)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^[3]
• 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.

Notes and References

1. Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. (2010). Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa Struik Nature, Cape Town.
2. ten Hove, H. (2010). Spirobranchus kraussii (Baird, 1865). In: Read, G.; Fauchald, K. (Ed.) (2016). World Polychaeta database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=555934 on 12 June 2016
3. Web site: Spirobranchus kraussii (Baird, 1865) in GBIF Secretariat (2017). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy.. GBIF. Global Biodiversity Information Facility.