Northern Tubeworm [Ridgeia piscesae]
Description
A species of marine tube worms that live near hydrothermal vents. They are sessile in nature, attaching themselves to hard surfaces and extending their feathery plumes into the water to filter out microscopic particles for food. Their bodies are enclosed in tough, chitinous tubes. They lack a digestive system and rely on a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live inside them, extracting nutrients from the sulfur-rich vent fluids.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Jellyfish, Sea Anemones, and Relatives
Cnidaria
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Hydroids, Fire Corals, and Stinging Anemones
Hydrozoa
|
| Order |
Leptothecata
Leptothecata
|
| Family |
Sertulariid hydroids
Sertulariidae
|
| Genus |
Northern Tubeworts
Diphasia
|