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The tubeworm Spirobranchus minutus is native to the coasts of the eastern Pacific from the Gulf of California / Baja California south to Peru, South America.
Introduced by humans, probably unknowingly via ship hulls, this species is now found in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Suriname, South America (West Atlantic).
The report by Dr. Bastida-Zavala (2008) shows how quickly the species can be spread, he also discovered this species on the hull of a sailboat in Hawaii, after a four-month voyage from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico to Hilo and Honolulu, Hawaii!
The tube of the small worm is opaque, white or pink in color, with three longitudinal keels running along the tube, extending across the opening and forming pointed tips.
The crown shows alternating bands of brown pigment and non-pigmented areas, the base of the crown base is usually dark brown.
The crown consists of two semicircular lobes, each with 10 radioles.
The operculum is generally white or purple.
Etymology:
The species name "minutus" is the Latin word for "very small", "tiny" and refers to the "size" of the tubeworm.
Synonyms:
Pomatoceros minutus Rioja, 1941
Serpulorbis catella Weisbord, 1962
Serpulorbis catellus Weisbord, 1962
Literature reference:
Brandão, Ivison & Brasil, Ana. (2020).
On a new species of Spirobranchus Blainville, 1818 (Annelida: Serpulidae) and considerations on the genus along the Brazilian coast. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia.
60. e20206051. http://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2020.60.51
License CC BY 4.0
Introduced by humans, probably unknowingly via ship hulls, this species is now found in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Suriname, South America (West Atlantic).
The report by Dr. Bastida-Zavala (2008) shows how quickly the species can be spread, he also discovered this species on the hull of a sailboat in Hawaii, after a four-month voyage from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico to Hilo and Honolulu, Hawaii!
The tube of the small worm is opaque, white or pink in color, with three longitudinal keels running along the tube, extending across the opening and forming pointed tips.
The crown shows alternating bands of brown pigment and non-pigmented areas, the base of the crown base is usually dark brown.
The crown consists of two semicircular lobes, each with 10 radioles.
The operculum is generally white or purple.
Etymology:
The species name "minutus" is the Latin word for "very small", "tiny" and refers to the "size" of the tubeworm.
Synonyms:
Pomatoceros minutus Rioja, 1941
Serpulorbis catella Weisbord, 1962
Serpulorbis catellus Weisbord, 1962
Literature reference:
Brandão, Ivison & Brasil, Ana. (2020).
On a new species of Spirobranchus Blainville, 1818 (Annelida: Serpulidae) and considerations on the genus along the Brazilian coast. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia.
60. e20206051. http://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2020.60.51
License CC BY 4.0
