Tube worm explained

A tubeworm is any worm-like sessile invertebrate that anchors its tail to an underwater surface and secretes around its body a mineral tube, into which it can withdraw its entire body.

Tubeworms are found among the following taxa:

• Annelida, the phylum containing segmented worms
  • Polychaetea, the class containing bristle worms
    • Canalipalpata, the order containing bristle-footed annelids or fan-head worms
      • Siboglinidae, the family of beard worms
        • Riftia pachyptila, a species known as giant tube worms^[1]
        • Lamellibrachia, a genus
      • Serpulidae, a family
      • Sabellidae, the family containing feather duster worms
• Phoronida, the phylum containing horseshoe worms
• Microconchida, an order of extinct tubeworms
• Kuphus polythalamia, a bivalve mollusk species whose common name is giant tube worm

Notes and References

1. Web site: Giant tubeworms. Current Biology.