The Serpulidae are a family of sessile, tube-building annelid worms in the class Polychaeta. The members of this family differ from other sabellid tube worms in that they have a specialized operculum that blocks the entrance of their tubes when they withdraw into the tubes. In addition, serpulids secrete tubes of calcium carbonate.

Serpula (also known as calcareous tubeworm, serpulid tubeworm, fanworm, or plume worm) is a genus of sessile, marine annelid tube worms that belongs to the family Serpulidae. [3] Serpulid worms are very similar to tube worms of the closely related sabellid family, except that the former possess a cartilaginous operculum that occludes the ...

Jan 1, 2022 · Serpulid reefs can be divided roughly into seven groups, according to the building modality and the type of habitat they occupy: (i) pseudocolonies; (ii) littoral belts; (iii) subtidal to deep-water reefs; (iv) reefs in coastal lakes and harbours; (v) brackish water reefs; (vi) tapestries in freshwater caves; (vii) biostalactites inside marine ...

Apr 10, 2023 · Serpulid reefs are bush-like structures made up of hundreds of individual worm tubes, each about 5mm in diameter and up to 150mm long. The world’s largest area of serpulid reefs is in Scotland, in Loch Creran. The reefs here, which grow at depths of 6 to 10m, are up to 75cm high and 1m across.

The Serpulidae are a large family of sedentary polychaetes, characterized by a calcareous habitation tube, which they cannot leave. The calcium carbonate tube is in the form of both aragonite and calcite, in fairly constant ratio for each taxon. Tubes are cemented firmly to any hard substrate (in only few species tubes are free).

Six species of Serpula and Spiraserpula were identified, mainly, from the material of the expeditions of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, including two new species of Serpula.

Sep 21, 2022 · Serpulids play various roles in their ecosystems and coral reefs by biomass communication, productivity, trophodynamics, bioconstruction, sediment formation and retention, carbonate deposition...

Serpulid reefs support a unique benthic macrofaunal community with 191 times greater abundance, 97 times greater biomass, and twice the number of than in species soft sediments. In contrast to soft-sediment macrofauna, Serpulid reef macrofaunal abundance and biomass were not correlated with any measured water quality variables.

Serpulid worms occur globally, generally growing as individuals, but in a tiny number of special Scottish lochs they form reefs. Serpulids have a crown of bright red and orange feathery tentacles, that they use to filter food from the water.

Mar 29, 2013 · Tube-building annelid worms from the family Serpulidae (Fig. 1) significantly contribute to calcium carbonate deposition on temperate reefs. These frame-builders modify the physical environment and enhance biodiversity by providing shelter, food …